Sanjina DaBish Queen: Trans Fijian Bollywood Remix Star from Canada’s Drag Race Season 5

Sanjina DaBish Queen—the trans Fijian Bollywood remix star from Canada’s Drag Race Season 5 shares how her rich heritage, identity, and passion for dance shaped her drag journey. From her struggles with representation to creating her own fusion style, Bollyhood Remix, Sanjina opens up about resilience, self-expression, and inspiring the melanin community.

TEM (The Extra Mile):You’ve described yourself as like trans, Fijan, Bollywood, Queen of Toronto. So how would you say your heritage and identity influenced your drag and your drag journey and performance.

Sanjina: So growing up Bollywood was always just part of me like dance like she’s my best friend So like I always like growing up. I love dancing So dancing was always there and then it just like dancing became like my best friend were like she saw my brothers My scars and like that’s something I turned to anytime. I was at my weakest my happiest my angriest any emotion where I was I love to dance so dance is always there growing up I love watching Bollywood movies because Bollywood movies are just so colorful magical and I was so mesmerized about just like how Like hips would move their clothing would move the colors, okay? So Bollywood was already there then just like growing up I was I hated like I was I’m Fiji and so my parents are from Fiji island an island That’s made up of Indian African Polynesian culture. It’s very like welcoming. We’re very about culture appreciation all the time we appreciate every culture and Growing up I hate being Fiji and because I had to face a lot of racism from the Black community and from the Indian community, South Asians, because I didn’t fit in, because I wasn’t Indian enough, I wasn’t Black enough, or I wasn’t Polynesian.It was a bunch. was Phoegians where I come from Suri, were just categories. We were like, we’re dirty. And then trans was obviously, on and down my journey, I became a trans woman. So everything just kind of went and kind of just like mixed. Like think about this. I’m trans. I’m Phoegian. I do Bollywood. I have my own fusion to it, which is Bollyhood. And when I say remix, because I, because I, when I perform, I dance to lot of remixes and mixes. And when I talk about remixes, remixes about, to me, two things coming together, whether it’s culture, fashion, culture, music, it’s just so magical. So that’s why I call it the trans Phoegian Bollywood remix.

TEM: Drag is often about storytelling. What would you, what are some key moments from your own story that you try to portray in your performances or just in your art?

Sanjina: Well, being like when it comes to performing is my energy, right? When I say I put you in a trance is more so like when I perform, people want to get up and dance to me. If you want to get up and shake an , people want to work, people want to get low, pick up real slow. They want to jam to Bollywood. I’m the type of girl that will make you get from your seat. You know, and that’s like the magic of Sanjina, She does really put you in a trance. Like, that’s, yeah.

TEM: When it comes to your choreography, like, is that something you kind of self-learn or draw inspiration from both the Bollywood culture?

Sanjina:  So I’m so freestyling in choreography. So I do come from choreography background. Like I’ve always like making up moves and like teaching. I’ve come from the background of being an instructor. And when it comes to dance, freestyling, if something naturally happens, but I combine the freestyling choreography together. So that basically becomes, I let the music describe me. Whatever the music is in that moment, I’m feeling. like, I literally, when I dance and perform, I see like colors, I see like, I’m in a trance myself because my energy just becomes like this gold or, and I’m at the most happy as my dance. I’m at the most expressive and I hit really hard. go full out, I’ll give you a performance. I will give you your money’s worth. That’s how I am and yeah my energy and like just who I am that space yeah that’s my drag that’s who I am

TEM: Is there a moment from the show that you’re especially proud of that you feel really represents who you?

Sanjina: The moments that I’m really proud of is honestly I feel like with me being on the show be proudest moment that I would say it’s just like getting on that show and being a representation for trans, for Fijians, for you know the melanin community I’m gonna say melanin community because I’m not gonna say indian i’m not gonna do like i’m saying melanin general for every POC there like i’m repping and repping is very important to me I think it’s very important to drag it’s the biggest thing from representation and I think that’s the most most magical thing and I think that had a lot of good moments on there I think that the body dysmorphia conversation was a very big lifting thing just not for me or for others. And, you know, my, sorry, my forgiveness letter to like my mom was also a very big thing. Being on this magical journey with my dread mother was another magical experience. And the fact that I got to have this journey with six of my Toronto sisters, who wouldn’t want that?

TEM:  Is there anything that you would change about your time at Drag Race in terms of like anything you wish you could have done differently?

Sanjina: I honestly feel like the preparation of Drag Race. I wish I kind of went with my heart. You know, like I always say, I don’t lie, it’ll come from a lot of money. And that’s not an excuse, but I do drag out because of my garments. I don’t do drag because I’m going to show you expensive outfit. I’m going to do drag because I do drag the way I do drag and the way I view drag. I do it from the heart and I don’t do it from the eyes, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, I just think that if I hit the Rewind button, it definitely would be like to make sure that like I was more prepared and just kind of made the right decision, even though the decision was wrong. Like, you know, it’s just like, I think that when I come back, because my work, now I’m doing it, I’m going to glow up, I’m going to find out like And what goes with my body, I’m going work on myself. And when I come back to an all-stars, plus it’s going to be on.

TEM: So then what else is next for you? What are your plans or what can the viewers expect?

Sanjina: So definitely going to be working on my transitioning. Like, you know, going harm on the sounds. been four months, also sobering out, California sober, yay. And I’m going work on my focus on my glow-up. And I’m really going to focus on my two tours that I’m going to be working on. I’m also coming out with maybe a Bali rap. That’s something I’m moving on to. forgot to mention that all day today about Bali rap. It’s like, yeah, know that just literally just reminded me. And to my fans, the Divish nation, I just found out that’s what they’re called. And I’m going to focus on them and only on them, because you’re the ones that gave me love and support. Not to these haters that want to be mad and stay mad.

TEM:  So here we’re all about going the extra mile. How do you go the extra mile?

Sanjina:  Like customer service going above and beyond. That’s where my drag is. I’m here to lift people, right? So I will do everything I can to put a smile on your face. Like that’s my job. You know, and I feel like that’s what I was blessed to do is to put a smile on people’s face is or just to, you know, wake them up or to like shine a light in their dark where they are, you know, and I think that’s going for a mile.I think that it’s like how Shea said in the episode, I’m very generous in my energy. And now I realize I shouldn’t be that generous to people that don’t deserve it.