I did an interview for a Punjabi radio station, Radio Panj, (on today) and it sent me down memory lane - back to a time I don’t think I ever fully paused to acknowledge. Years ago, I had the opportunity to act opposite one of Punjab’s biggest stars, Amrinder Gill, in the film Goreyan Nu Dafa Karo. Through that experience, I travelled to a tiny village in Punjab near where my mum and her siblings spent their early childhood, and I got to learn more about my roots while doing the job I love. Growing up, I couldn’t speak Punjabi. I was raised in a predominantly white community, and when conversations would switch languages at my grandparents’ house, I’d often quietly duck out feeling shy, and a little embarrassed, about not knowing how to join in. I never would have imagined that one day I’d be part of a Punjabi film, let alone one that went on to win multiple awards across Punjab. My maternal grandparents saw me up on the big screen at a cinema in Feltham, UK — and that moment stays with me. I felt kinda proud of myself that somehow this had all happened. For a long time, though, I didn’t really talk about this chapter. After moving back to the UK following the film’s release, I felt a quiet pressure to downplay my work in India, as if having worked across countries and industries might confuse people. I was even once asked by an agent who was considering taking me on whether I felt my time in India had “held me back.” My answer then and now is no. Not at all. Those experiences shaped me, grounded me, and allowed me to connect more deeply with a culture that is very much part of who I am. I feel genuinely grateful that this is part of my journey. So I’m sharing it now because it matters to me, and because it’s part of my story. 💛 The end 😝 LTKTravel LTKstorytime