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Chum Darang talked about the reason behind taking up her role in Paatal Lok, where she portrayed a Chinese woman.

Chum emerged as the 4th runner-up in Bigg Boss 18. (Photo Credits: Instagram)
Chum Darang is a renowned face in the entertainment industry. Be it her stint in Salman Khan-hosted Bigg Boss 18 or her role in Bhumi Pednekar‘s Badhaai Do, the actress has carved a niche for herself with her power-packed presence. Now, in an interaction, Chum has opened up about the film industry and how people need to be more inclusive towards those from the northeast.
In an interview to BBC India, the actress — who hails from Arunachal Pradesh — recalled facing racism after she moved to Mumbai. Chum went on to add that she developed a ‘thicker skin’ to survive in the city over the years.
She said, “Young boys at the mall called me names, and I didn’t know how to react. I just gave them a look and left. They were calling me momo and chow chow. I don’t know why they assume, if I look like this, they’ll give me some Chinese name and think I’ll get offended. It’s just that I want people of this country to know that we are from this country too. We might look different, but I’m an Indian too.”
The actress further talked about the reason behind taking up her role in Paatal Lok, where she portrayed a Chinese woman. The web series also starred Jaideep Ahlawat and Ishwak Singh in lead roles.
“I mean, it’s very evident that roles for us are still not written like how they should be. It’s very less. So, the chance of getting (lead) work is tough here. But we’re surviving; things are changing. Bombay is a very expensive city to live in. So, I did this role in Paatal Lok, I did the role of a Chinese infomercial girl. I had to do it because I needed money. After that I realised, nahi, I am meant for bigger things,” Chum stated.
On the professional front, Chum Darang came out as the 4th runner-up in reality TV show Bigg Boss 18. She rose to fame with her stellar performances in films like Badhaai Do and Gangubai Kathiawadi. The actress also recently called out Elvish Yadav for his racist comments on her in a YouTube video.