Akriti Singh's Toofan Mail is a fabulous first film is a festival success

A BIG triumph from the recent UK Asian Film Festival was the world premiere of Toofan Mail and that was largely thanks to the remarkable effort of actress Akriti Singh.

She has written, directed, produced, edited, and played the lead role in the film based on an extraordinary real incident that happened in India during the 1970s. The 1974-set story of a mysterious woman claiming to be the queen of Awadh and moving into the first-class waiting area of a New Delhi railway station, demanding to meet prime minister Indira Gandhi, is an original drama that has introduced a great new filmmaking talent.

Eastern Eye caught up with the multi-talented Akriti Singh to discuss forthcoming film Toofan Mail, how she managed to do so much on it and her future plans.

What connected you to creativity? 

Growing up in a quiet small town with nothing much to do demanded me to be creative and surely made me read a lot. Later on, an education in architecture taught me to stand by my ideas.

What led you towards your film Toofan Mail?

I was writing a play about Mirza Ghalib and during the research it turned up that the Nawab of Awadh used to give a pension to Ghalib. That got me interested in Awadh and I came upon these news stories about a woman, Begum Wilayat Mahal, in the 1970s claiming to be the descendant of the Nawab. I felt that truth is stranger than fiction here. It is a story worth telling.

What did you most love about this strange story?

The sheer boldness of Begum Wilayat Mahal’s move – her demand to talk to the prime minister of the country directly was amusing. And the fact that life in the 1970s was so different from our social media influenced life right now, where we can go and check someone’s profile to see if they are who they say they are. I loved the enigma surrounding this woman.

What made you take on the challenge of writing, directing, producing, editing and starring in the film?

(Laughs) I was trying to make a world record! I still need to figure out if I did set one. I have been playing all these roles for a few years now on stage. I run a theatre company and unlike movies, in theatre everyone is involved in all aspects of creating the art. It makes the experience wholesome for the artist. This carried on in the film as well where all the cast and crew played multiple roles.

What was the creative journey like with the film?

There have been moments of pure ecstasy when I had some epiphanies about the queen. Weaving fiction around a real incident is very fascinating. At times I realised it took me closer to the truth more than any straight research into the material could.

How did you manage to give such a great performance when you had to worry about all other departments?

Thank you! I guess years of training on stage helped. Also, I love challenging myself. As an actor, it was a fascinating challenge to be able to switch in and out of the character on demand. A wonderful team, who were all friends, helped too.

What was the biggest creative challenge you faced?

To be headstrong and to not listen to all the information about film and filmmaking that ‘Bollywood’ was throwing at me was the biggest challenge, I guess.

Did you learn anything new during your Toofan Mail journey?

Apart from the entire political history of the 1970s and 1800s – that the sound design takes a lot of time and effort, and at times the cinematographer can forget to press the record button, so keep a check.

Who are you hoping connects with Toofan Mail when it releases?

I think the film has a universal appeal. Everyone who heard about the film’s idea is fascinated by it. The Youth Choice Best Film award is a validation that the film also resonates with the young audience.

What can we expect next from you?

I am working on three projects right now. I am planning to make a film of one of my comedy plays – Boing Boing. Versova and Maya are two other film scripts I am working on.

What inspires you?

Genius in any field inspires me, be it poetry or physics.

Who is your own filmmaking hero?

The Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaaf and Norah Efron.

What kind of movies do you enjoy and do you have a favourite?

I like whatever quality Synecdoche, New York and Ernst Lubitsch’s films share, but my favourite film is Nun va Goldoon (A Moment of Innocence), by Mohsen Makhmalbaaf.

Why do you love cinema?

As a child, my happiest memories are sitting in a cinema hall, staring wide eyed at the big screen. I still feel the same rush in my heart every time the lights dim, and a film is about to start. Films helped me cope with the humdrum of a small-town life. The fact that there was a bigger world outside that I saw in the films gave me hope, and a sense of adventure and ambition.

Instagram: @sin_akriti