What are your memories as a child that drove you to be in front of the camera?
My mother must have had a camera in her womb!
I remember having to do a project on Martin Luther King Jr when I was 8 years old – and I created a newscast! I remember being the news anchor and creating an insert box with visuals! You would find me in drama classes, dance classes, always creating something. I played the violin at one time. I was always itching to perform – in the school play, a dance performance, or be the goofy emcee at family parties.
Understanding that you were initially pursuing Pharmacy, how did your parents feel or what was their reaction when you decided to go for a Communications degree instead?
HA! Initially they were disappointed! And I had this feeling of guilt that I wasn’t able to follow their dreams of becoming a pharmacist and wouldn’t make them proud! But eventually they understood my passion and drive, and were supportive of my choices.
If you would have to, which would be your fondest red carpet moment?
Red carpets..hmm which one should I share! There was one a few years back where I had a shoe mishap. Here we are lined up waiting for the celebs to come in and it was a pretty big lineup of actors and as I am walking to my place, I felt my foot sink into the ground! I was like – “oh no it didn’t”. My heel just snapped!!! Here I am - in this beautiful short dress and I didn’t take a backup flat pair that day! So I just took off both heels and stood there barefoot and did all my interviews! It made for some great conversation!
Being a South Asian and part of the entertainment industry, here in America, do you feel that you had to overcome any particular challenges that relate to being South Asian?
When you decide you want to be a part of the entertainment industry, you have to go in knowing it’s competitive, challenging, and requires a huge commitment on your part. What seems so glamorous is really a result of a lot of hard work and struggle. For me, it was recognizing that I wasn’t going to be able to please everyone. I had chosen a field that
Rasha Goel with Shah Rukh Khan
L to R: Tushar Unadkat, Ranveer Singh & Rasha Goel before 2011 IIFA in Toronto