Racist and nasty insults have recently been directed towards Avantika Vandanapu

Whenever there are rumors of a live-action Disney film remake, fans quickly take to social media to announce their “fancast,” or ideal cast. Disney’s Tangled was the film this time. Everyone had a favorite Rapunzel actor, since she was adored by kids and adults worldwide. But most didn’t anticipate that it would be a lady of South Asian descent.

Avantika Vandanapu, star of Mean Girls: The Musical, has recently been the subject of racist and cruel sentiments on social media due to a rumor that she was spotted filming for the highly anticipated live-action version. The majority of the remarks made reference to the notion that an Indian woman portraying the role would “ruin their childhood.”

It doesn’t appear like the vicious loop of racial hostility against the concept of women of color portraying their favorite Disney princess will soon come to an end because it wouldn’t be “accurate.” This was most recently demonstrated by Halle Bailey’s selection for the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid. After watching her incredible performance on the big screen, one would have assumed that the critics had learned their lesson. And yet here we are once more, living out the past.

The dearth of varied representation in the media is a widely discussed subject. The main point of contention has always been that a woman of color portraying a well-known character who was initially portrayed by a white person contradicts the notion that the live-action version’s cast’s appearance must match that of the animated version. Never mind that a Rapunzel from South Asia makes far more sense than most people realize.

We take satisfaction in the fact that South Asians are renowned to have longer, healthier hair due to genetics. Our moms taught us this custom and hoped we would carry it on, so we also created the custom of oiling our hair to maintain its health. Rapunzel takes pleasure in her hair maintenance, as befits a South Asian woman, and it plays a significant role in her tale. Numerous people have complimented Avantika on her gorgeous long hair. Additionally, research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has demonstrated that the density of South Asian hair is greater than that of Caucasian hair, meaning that it is stronger. That would be perfect if you had a man climbing a tower with it acting as a rope.

In addition to these apparent biological explanations, it should be mentioned that the Rapunzel myth encapsulates a significant portion of the experience of being a South Asian girl growing up: feeling confined in our homes or by our relatives. The narrative of severing from exceedingly rigid parental figures and paving one’s own route to freedom resonates with young ladies.

The lead actor in Netflix’s Never Have I Ever is another performer who has stated that she would love to portray Rapunzel. In an interview with CBS, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan—who identifies as Tamil—expressed her belief that a South Asian actress ought to portray this part. This is what I’ve been saying, and I’ve noticed other individuals saying the same thing. Rapunzel ought to be a South Asian girl, in my opinion. Because, hear me out, nobody understands what it’s like to be confined to your room and unable to go because your mother is refusing to let you go—not even brown girls, who always provide a valid explanation. It is accurate. For me, that would be the role of my dreams. Unfortunately, she also experienced racism-related abuse on her social media.

Ultimately, the actor portraying Rapunzel’s ethnicity has no bearing on the narrative, and changing it would not change the course of events. In any case, the way the public has reacted to the notion of a South Asian woman—or any woman of color—playing Rapunzel is a disgrace to the advancements in racial equality that we profess to have accomplished.