Joining the Hindi entertainment industry was a dream that Assamese actor Surabhi Das harboured since childhood. Having played prominent roles in five Assamese shows and 30 music videos, the actor came to Delhi seeking work. Her dream came true when she was called to audition for the upcoming show, Nima Denzongpa.

“They saw my YouTube videos and asked me to audition for the role. Two days later, I was called for a mock shoot, like several other artistes from Assam,” explains Das of her first brush with auditions in Mumbai.

She admits she was a ball of nervous energy when she landed in Mumbai. “I was surprised by the favourable treatment I received. It was nothing like I had imagined. I thought I won’t get the respect an actor deserved because I was from Assam, but the team put me at ease,” adds Das.

In telling the story of Nima, a young woman from a middle-class family in Sikkim, the show highlights the everyday struggles faced by the northeastern community. “It’s the first time that a [mainstream channel] is showcasing a show about the northeastern community. That drew me towards the show. Hailing from the north-east, I could connect with the character and the challenges she faced as I have endured the same,” says the actor.

Only a year ago, as Covid-19 cases raged across India, northeastern people were being racially targeted and labelled as ‘Corona’. Recently, Ankita Konwar called out the hypocrisy of people, who racially discriminated against the community and then went on to celebrate Manipur-born Mirabai Chanu’s Olympic win.

Das admits that she has often been addressed as “chinki”. “In 2015, when I was in Delhi, my friends called me everything from momo to chinki. I was often teased for my Hindi dialect too. Although I didn’t react to it back then, it bothered me. Luckily, these same friends helped me improve my language. I needed to get my pronunciations right before entering the industry.”