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CitySaheli sat down with Janina Gavankar at the Hotel on Rivington during her NYC tour for the new ABC show, The Gates, premiering June 20, 2010. The show will be taking the former Desperate Housewives timeslot, Sundays at 9pm. Written by Richard Hatem and Grant Scharbo, the Gates plot focuses on a big-city cop who becomes chief of police in a quiet planned community, where he discovers there’s much more to the “haunted” area.
CitySaheli was warmly welcomed by Gavankar’s exuberance, her warm hug, and the inside look she gave us into the world of Hollywood. You probably recognize Gavankar from Showtime’s super-hit The L-Word , where she played the sassy siren, Papi. This rising star exudes a great personality and Citysaheli looks forward seeing her on her new show.
CitySaheli: Welcome to NYC. You’ve been hitting cities across the US promoting your upcoming show, The Gates. What’s it like being here in New York City?
Janina: It’s great being in NYC. The South-Asian women here are different than in other parts of the country. They’re not afraid to be empowered, sexy, and autonomous. It makes me proud to see them. Everyone knows Desis have big old brains and now their self-esteem is rising to match the brainpower.
CitySaheli: From Papi to Leigh, you’ve avoided playing typically Desi roles. How have you escaped being type-cast in Hollywood?
Janina: I’ve actually been very lucky. I never felt stereo-typed. I never felt like I had to wear a flag, but I always felt proud to have the flag behind me. Thanks to Hollywood for these opportunities. My parents had a lot to do with giving me an American and Indian identity. We would take trips to India but stop in Italy on the way. We were raised to be children of the world. I’m grateful for their support in enabling me to cease the opportunities that came my way.
CitySaheli: Growing up American, what South Asian values did your parents instill in you?
Janina: Well, my parents aren’t traditional. My mom’s mom is actually Dutch, so I had a multi-cuone knows Desis have big old brains and now their self-esteem is rising to match the brainpower.
CitySaheli: What’s your advice to young women out there who look to you as a role model?
Janina: I’m a video game junkie. I love Dr. Mario, Assassin’s Creed, and the Dead Space. You probably don’t expect me to be seriously into video games, but I am. I don’t feel like you have to fit into a mold. TV isn’t reality. Reality TV isn’t even reality. Be who you are and be beautiful on the inside. Surround yourself with people who support you and accept you for who you are. Be good to yourself. Hydrate. Sleep. Respect the vessel you were given: your body, mind, and spirit.
CitySaheli: That brings me to the big question – how you maintain your superb physique? Also can you tell me a bit about your beauty regimen?
Janina: Oh my god. I have a serious sweet tooth, so I have a trainer. I should watch what I eat, but I rarely do. You can always sway me off a healthy meal plan with a cupcake, especially if it has butter cream icing. So that’s the secret to my figure. It’s a lot of hard work.
As far as beauty goes, well that’s a multi-level process. There’s the everyday level which is lots of water in my system, enough sleep, and chapstick. I have this amazing marzipan flavored chapstick which I just ran out of that I’m positively addicted to. Then there’s the next level up, the lash level, which is all about making my eyes pop. I put on a few coats of mascara and use this terrific under-eye concealer by Ziba Beauty. I’m still in search of that perfect mascara. The key here is tinted sunscreen to complete the look. Above this is the base level which involves actually putting on foundation, liquid liner, blush, and pink or sheer lip gloss. And then the top level is stage make-up which involves these added details: fake, individual lashes, lip liner with lipstick and gloss over it, and a thicker base. So much of beauty is an illusion. I think true beauty comes from the inside and I just try to be as real as I can be.
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