00:00I'm so proud to be brown and I'm so proud, God, I'm so proud to be Indian.
00:05Hello, hi Chaitra, how are you Bhavna Desai from India today?
00:08Hi Bhavna, thank you so much for getting up so early for us today.
00:12Thank you for acknowledging that, it is so early, that's true.
00:16But I would love to talk to you anytime, any day.
00:19I have to say that, you know, when the announcement was made that you have been cast as one of
00:24the team members for season two,
00:26I was very happy because representation, yay.
00:29But I know that a lot of people, there was backlash of course, and you have been vocal about the
00:37fact that you have dealt with racism internally and externally both throughout your life, right?
00:43So, I want to know where is the silver lining for an actor like you who is wanting to take
00:47those strides,
00:48who is wanting to take those chances when it comes to representation, but is met with resistance, at least at
00:56first before even watching what you have done.
00:59Um, unfortunately, when you are a person of colour, racism is the nature of the business.
01:10Um, you could be minding your own business and be exposed to racism.
01:15And like, it is such a awful thing for me to say, but it's like, at this point, it doesn't
01:23mean that it doesn't hurt, but it, you know, like, you, you, I'm so used to it at this point.
01:29Um, and, and I think it's for other women of colour specifically, what I would say is that, like, make
01:39sure that you really, like, lean on your loved ones and that you feel so secure in your love.
01:45And you are uplifted by the people in life that show you your worth and you know your worth and,
01:51like, don't listen to the stuff that happens online.
01:54Those people aren't real. Don't listen to the good and don't listen to the bad.
01:57The only people that matter are the people that are, that are truly in your life.
02:01And those are the people that are going to ride for you.
02:04Um, and so for me, it's like, and, and that's, in a way, that's how I kind of relate to
02:09the character that I play.
02:10It's that you got to push through. You got to keep going. Like, screw the naysayers. They don't matter.
02:18Um, and you got to, you're, I'm so glad. Yeah, you're bigger than that and we're better than that.
02:23No, I was saying then what was your prep going in for this character now?
02:27Because, of course, the source material is there. You know that fans already know this character, but there, but there's
02:32a way you're going to interpret it now for the live adaptation, right?
02:36But you also know that most people are going to walk in with a prejudice in their mind.
02:40Um, what was the prep keeping all of this in mind and knowing that there is an expectation now to
02:45deliver?
02:47Um, I'm not trying to change the minds of people with prejudice.
02:52I am a creative who, like, has come into it and really wants to do justice to Oda Sensei's work
02:58and really want to do justice to the production and the thousands of people that work on the show.
03:04And I think the manga and the anime has, like, so much, is such a useful resource and I really,
03:10like, mined it and used it to start carving out this character.
03:14But I think that I was so emboldened as an actor by Oda Sensei and the crew to, like, trust
03:20my instincts and make it my own.
03:22You know, I'm not here to imitate what's in the manga and the anime.
03:24I'm here to present something new and exciting.
03:27And, and, you know, I really tried my hardest.
03:31Can I just tell you, I've seen some part of it and I think you slayed.
03:35Oh, thank you.
03:36Thank you, love.
03:37And I really appreciate that.
03:39But tell me again, like, you know, in the last few years, of course, we have seen a lot of
03:43people have taken those strides, as have you, when it comes to representation.
03:49What is it that kind of motivates you now or who inspires you to keep going?
03:54Because I know it could be tough as well to deal with that.
03:58I think what inspires me to keep going is, like, all the young people in my life that, like, I
04:08feel I want to do it for, right?
04:11Like, I have cousins and nieces and nephews and I think about them seeing me someday and inspiring them and
04:19people dressing up as characters that I've done and, like, for Halloween and stuff.
04:24And, um, that really is, like, the motivation.
04:28And ultimately, like, again, I'm not saying it doesn't hurt, but, like, I'm not affected by it too much.
04:34It is a responsibility, but it's, like, the best responsibility.
04:37It is the work that I want to be doing.
04:39It's hard work, but it's the best work.
04:41And it feels like such an honor.
04:43Like, I'm so proud to be brown and I'm so proud, God, I'm so proud to be Indian.
04:49And, um, I want to do my community proud.
04:54And you are all ready.
04:56Thank you so much.
04:57Keep going, keep doing.
04:59Because we are always rooting for you.
