Celine Tengam Koyu, who plays Deepa Nabam in Aspirants 3, talks about the positive feedback she has received and how she relates to her character, as she was preparing for the civil services exam herself. She also expresses hope that the series has made people from North East India feel proud
Celine Tengam Koyu
Celine Tengam Koyu made her acting debut as Deepa Nabam in the second season of the popular series Aspirants and is currently seen in its third season. She shared that she could connect to the vulnerabilities of her character well, as she herself faced some challenges when she first came to Mumbai to pursue a career in acting. She feels that this connection helped her earn positive feedback from the audience.
Celine Tengam Koyu discusses her character in Aspirants 3
Talking about her character Deepa, she revealed that she plays two versions of the same character—past and present. She said, "In the past timeline, I portray a civil service aspirant, and in the present, I am an IPS officer. For the past version, I had to show the vulnerability and innocence of a girl who has left her home and comfort to pursue her dreams. She navigates a new place, a new language, and new relationships."
"In the present timeline, I portray a confident IPS officer who has achieved her dreams but now feels that having the love of her life beside her would make her journey complete," she added.
She said, "Most of the feedback has been very positive. I think it’s because I could relate to my character a lot, especially the past version. The struggle of fitting in, coming from the Northeast to a new place to pursue dreams and a career—it was something I personally understood. I could truly relate to Deepa."
Celine shares her "accidental" acting journey
Hailing from Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh, Celine is the eldest of four siblings. Her family has always been very supportive of her career choice, and that made her shift from Arunachal to Mumbai very easy. In 2021, she even won Miss Arunachal and was titled Miss Radiant Smile and Miss Talented at Femina Miss India Arunachal 2022. She credited her friends for making her participate in the contest and said, "I was always interested in pageantry, but it was my friends who pushed me to take it seriously after I won our university pageant. Maybe they saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself at the time."
Her first acting assignment happened in college. She said, "I was cast in a music video. I think something clicked in me back then, too, but I chose to complete my education first."
Celine calls herself an accidental actor and shared, "After completing my MA and my Miss India stint, I was preparing for the civil services examination. I submitted my audition without any expectations. When I was selected, I was shocked. That’s when I felt this might be my calling, and with a leap of faith, I took the opportunity. Interestingly, I was cast as an IPS officer—so in a way, it felt like destiny."
"I went through almost eight auditions. Initially, I attended them casually because my exams kept getting delayed. It was only when I had a Zoom call with the director and writer that I realized this was something serious and that it was actually happening," she added.
She is grateful that the series has not only helped her establish herself but has also brought representation to the entire Northeast. "Many people could relate to me, and seeing me on screen gave them a sense of belonging. This is especially meaningful when we often hear about cases of discrimination or assault against people from the Northeast. I hope I have made everyone feel proud and seen," she ended.
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