ACCORDING to Hannah Al Rashid, being a product of mixed race is both a blessing and a curse. Never mind how she looks, the internal conflict of “Who are you?” beguiles her more she says, quite dramatically, when asked about her “mongrel” background. (Her word, not mine.)

Born and raised in London to a French mother and Indonesian father, the 25-year-old considers English her mother tongue although she speaks French and Indonesian just as well. Three years ago, she decided to come to Jakarta to pursue a television career, as job prospects in London weren’t looking too good. “Also I wanted to see if I could live Asia, where my dad is from.”