Abhay Deol lands part in Disney’s special Indian American film Spin

An international ensemble of talented veteran and burgeoning young actors have been cast in the upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie “Spin” about an Indian American teen who discovers her artistic side through the unique world of DJ culture. Joining the previously announced lead Avantika Vandanapu are: Bollywood’s renowned Abhay Deol (“Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”), UK comedian/actor Meera Syal (“Yesterday”) and actors Aryan Simhadri (“Adventures in Wonder Park”), Michael Bishop (“Grace Beside Me”), Jahbril Cook (“A Week Away”), Kerri Medders (“Alexa & Katie”) and Anna Cathcart (a fan favorite from Disney’s “Descendants” 2 & 3, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”). Production will begin in October for a 2021 premiere on Disney Channel.

“Spin” follows Rhea (Vandanapu), an Indian American teen who learns she has a passion for creating DJ mixes that blend the textures of her Indian heritage and the world around her. Her life revolves around her eclectic group of friends, Molly, Watson and Ginger, her after-school coding club, her family’s Indian restaurant and her tight-knit, multigenerational family, which has only grown closer since her mother’s passing. Everything changes when she falls for aspiring DJ Max and a long lost fervor for music is re-ignited. Rhea discovers that she has a natural gift for creating beats and producing music but must find the courage to follow her true inner talent. (Disney Channel/David Christopher Lee)
ABHAY DEOL[/caption] (Vandanapu), an Indian-American teen who learns she has a passion for creating DJ mixes that blend the textures of her Indian heritage and the world around her. Her life revolves around her eclectic group of friends, Molly, Watson and Ginger, her after-school coding club, her family’s Indian restaurant and her tight-knit, multi-generational family, which has only grown closer since her mother’s passing. Everything changes when she falls for aspiring DJ Max and a long lost fervor for music is re-ignited. Rhea discovers that she has a natural gift for creating beats and producing music but must find the courage to follow her true inner talent.

Lauren Kisilevsky, vice president, Original Movies, Disney Channel, said, “We look forward to watching Avantika lead this vibrant story of a teen discovering unexpected aspirations to create, remix, perform and ultimately define her art. We’re equally thrilled to see this special story come to life in Manjari Makijany’s talented hands.”

A well-recognized name in India and among Indian diaspora in the United States, 15-year-old Vandanapu started her artistic journey through dancing, focusing on Indian classical dance forms, along with ballet, jazz and contemporary. She won second place in the first North American edition of ZeeTV’s reality series “Dance India Dance Li’l Masters.” Vandanapu went on to act in multiple feature films in Indian cinema and more than 25 commercials for national and regional print and TV media. Most recently, she starred as Monyca in “Diary of a Future President” on Disney+ and can be heard as the voice of Kamala in Disney Junior’s hit animated series “Mira, Royal Detective.”

Abhay Deol will play the role of Rhea’s father Arvind; Meera Syal will play Rhea’s spirited grandmother Asha; Aryan Simhadri is Rhea’s younger brother Rohan; Michael Bishop is Max; Anna Cathcart is Molly; Jahbril Cook is Watson; and Kerri Medders is Ginger.

Manjari Makijany (“Desert Dolphin”) will direct “Spin” with Zanne Devine (“Easy A,” “I, Tonya”) serving as executive producer and writing by Carley Steiner (“Play Date”) and Josh Cagan (“The Duff”).

Watch this space for more!