Telugu-based Avantika Vandanapu is soaring high with a prestigious accolade from Harvard, being crowned the South Asian Person of the Year.
Hailing from a Telugu family in San Francisco, Avantika has graced Telugu and Tamil cinema before making her mark in Hollywood.
Renowned for her role in the Mean Girls reboot, Avantika has been under the spotlight lately. While many celebrate her Hollywood journey, some have singled out her accent during interviews.
Over the past months, social media critics have targeted Avantika for her American accent, unaware that she was born in the States. They overlook “code-switching,” a natural habit among Indian-American youth who effortlessly switch between American and Indian (Telugu) accents.
Regrettably, some trolls from India misinterpret this, ridiculing Avantika for her accent, assuming it’s fake.
Despite the backlash, she stresses the importance of Telugu community support, particularly for those making strides in Hollywood.
Her recognition as the South Asian Person of the Year by Harvard serves as a resounding slap to her detractors and trolls, showcasing that her achievements shine brightly despite the negativity.
Avantika was honored as the South Asian Person of the Year by Harvard.
She was trolled by people on Twitter for her American accent; these trolls don't know that she is an American-born kid.#AvantikaVandanapu
— M9 NEWS (@M9News_) April 15, 2024
