WHO IS CHARITHRA CHANDRAN?
Charithra Chandran is a 25-year-old British-Indian actor who was born in Scotland. She lived in India during her younger years, and later returned to the UK where she completed her schooling and went on to study a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University.
Before she graduated from the elite university in 2019, she'd performed in several of the school's productions and joined the National Youth Theatre—her taste for the stage was growing.
Breaking away from the dated societal expectation to chase a career post-graduation, Chandran wasn't lured into the hype and she took a gap year to mull her options before joining British think tank New Policy Institute, which she did alongside drama.
Armed with that varied, and rather rich, experience, Chandran's mind was set—acting was what she wanted to pursue.
WHAT HAS CHARITHRA CHANDRAN STARRED IN?
Chandran's first major gig was a role in the 2021 TV adaptation of famous Anthony Horowitz novel series, Alex Rider. In it, she played Sabina Pleasance alongside Otto Farrant who played Rider.
Around the same time, Chandran was cast in Bridgerton's second season as Edwina Sharma—no small feat for an actor who has literally only just started out.
"I'm very lucky to have been able to do two amazing projects so early on in my career," Chandran told WION in December 2021, adding: "There'll be moments where I sort of catch myself and go, 'Oh my God, I'm living my dream. I'm having the best time of my life'. But most of the time, it just feels natural. It's like, I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing."
Alongside the regency-era Netflix drama, Chandran is set to star in two shorts, Good Intentions and The Talents, set for release this year. She's also currently filming a new television series, Pillow Talk.
CHARITHRA CHANDRAN'S HERITAGE
Chandran's parents are Indian, and her South Asian heritage is hugely important to the actor.
Speaking to Popsugar about her role in Bridgerton, Chandran revealed she was brought to tears when she learned that the new season would include a Bollywood song from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
"For me, that song is a Bollywood staple so as soon as it came on, I was like, 'Hold on,' and then rewind and immediately pause and text Chris [Van Dusen, showrunner of Bridgerton] saying, 'This literally brought tears to my eyes because it's a collision of both my worlds.'"
She added: "When you're growing up as immigrants' children, sometimes it's so hard to figure out your identity and you don't always know where you belong. That was one of the defining moments where you go, 'Ah ok, I get it now. I can be both and do both.'"
CHARITHRA CHANDRAN'S INSTAGRAM
Chandran is on Instagram as @charithra17, with almost 200,000 followers already. And you can rest assured that number will continue to rise significantly as fans tune into Bridgerton's second season.
On her grid, Chandran shares a variety of snaps ranging from her professional work to candid photos with her family, whom she shares a close relationship with.
Speaking of her parents to WION, she explained: "They're very proud of me. They're excited and happy to see what's happening but they are doctors and their job is significantly more high pressure and important than mine. It's more important to save lives. So, they're proud but they're not affected by[the fame] in any way."
This article originally appeared on our sister site, Elle.
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