Indian-Australian Shubshri Kandiah is playing the lead role of Princess Jasmine in one of Australia's biggest musical hits right now, Walt Disney's 'Aladdin'.
Shubshri graduated from Queensland Conservatorium's, Bachelor of Musical Theatre at Griffith University last year and shortly thereafter won the coveted role of Princess Jasmine. Aladdin marks her professional debut in musical theatre.
Shubhsri Kandiah told SBS Hindi,
"It was pretty exciting, I just graduated from Uni at the end of last year so I didn’t expect anything as big and amazing as this would come along so soon. Its been incredibly exciting."
"Growing up I did a lot of Bharatnatyam and Bollywood dance classes and I was very involved in the arts in that way, but I didn’t really know that being a musical theatre performer was a job. I found that more in High school and I started performing from there and found my love for it", said the Indian-Australian actress.
Shubshri told SBS Hindi that she loves theatre "I actually really enjoy it and I love the energy that the audience gives back to you and I think it's great" but she would also like to branch out into Films.
"My family is incredibly excited and its exciting for the whole community as well because it's not something that anybody in our community group has done before so it's quite new."
Shubhsri told SBS Hindi that she has been a part of the Indian community in her hometown,
"I was born in Perth and we have a really big Indian community in Perth and our dance school, Saraswati Maha Vidyalaya, they do Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kathak and Bollywood classes and I have been involved with them since I was three."
"My mum is one of the teachers at the dance school and I think, from when I was very little, I was always involved. We do a Deepavali festival every year and I perform in that, well I did when I was in Perth. So yes I am very involved with the Indian community in Perth."
Shubshri is optimistic about the opportunities for actors of ethnic backgrounds currently in Australia,
"I think that people of ethnic background have something special to offer because there are not a lot of ethnic people out there (in the field) especially with the kind of shows that are going around now like 'Aladdin' and 'Beautiful' that want people of colour. It's like the best time to be doing something like this"
"Never stop working hard or anybody tell you that it's not achievable, because in the end, if you want something you can do it and good things come to people that work hard for it," says Shubhshri Kandiah
