A groundbreaking new Disney Channel film, slated for release this year, follows the story of an Indian-American teen who learns to harness her inner talent for DJing and producing music.
Spin marks the first Disney Channel film to center around an Indian lead actress, Avantika Vandanapu. Vandanapu’s character, Rhea, finds a unique cultural angle for her productions, which involves weaving sonic elements into her music derived from her Indian heritage.
Vandanapu shared that she felt a sense of deep alignment with her character’s affinity for dance music and the arts. “I grew up being a dancer, I still am, and I love working with rhythm and beats,” Vandanapu told Entertainment Tonight. “DJing weaves music production into all the other melodic elements that I am familiar with; it made me feel at home but also challenged me just the right amount.”
One of those challenges was learning to develop the skill of DJing, which was a process Vandanapu took on in order to grow into the role.
Ultimately, Director Manjari Makijany sees the film as an opportunity for audiences to glean more insight into Indian culture and its traditions, including music. At the time of writing, Spin does not yet have an official release date.