Actress Micky Singh is riding high on the love coming her way for her performance as Sister Aruna in A Mosquito in the Ear, directed by Nicola Rinciari. Starring Jake Lucy, Nazanin Boniadi and Ruhi Pal, the film follows an American couple who arrive in Goa to adopt an Indian child named Sarvari. After its world premiere at the 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the film has been winning hearts with its tender take on adoption.
Sister Aruna serves as an important bridge between Sarvari and her prospective parents, while also being a caregiver who observes their emotional upheaval. Micky admits she did not have much time to delve into the source material before filming. “I didn’t really have the time to read the book or find out exactly what Sister Aruna was all about. But my director was clear about what he wanted. She’s this no-nonsense character who is very single-mindedly determined to do her job. She wants all her children to be adopted, so she approaches everything with that in mind. Nothing gets in her way.”
In fact, Micky found more of herself in Sister Aruna than she expected. “I actually felt there was a lot of Sister Aruna in me. I could just be myself and do the role. I also kept in mind some of the nuns from my school, Loreto in Lucknow who had that very no-nonsense attitude. In fact, Nico told me, ‘Listen, this orphanage is yours. You are not going to get intimidated by these two guys, okay? You are the troubleshooter. You are the person who is going to do the damage control. You are the person who calls the shots for them.’ He made it very clear that Sister Aruna is the bridge between the child and the parents. So I knew exactly how to approach her.”
When asked about her experience working with an international team, she says, “I think the professionalism was at another level. We made this movie in 20 days. Just imagine the level of planning and preparation that required. They all sat down and planned this movie because there was such a cultural difference and a language barrier. They were shooting in India, so they kept all of that in mind. Whatever was allocated for that particular day was completed, right down to the last detail. Because the post-production was being done in the US, none of the Indian actors could have been there later for dubbing or anything else. So everything that had to be done had to be done right there and it had to be done perfectly,” she adds.
The experience also gave Micky an opportunity to form a close bond with her co-stars,. “Jake has two sons, and they are the same age as my grandson. So when we used to be walking around the markets, sometimes Jake would ask me, ‘Do you think I should buy this for my son?’ There was a lot of camaraderie between all of us. It was actually a real pleasure working with both Naz and Jake, and then, of course, Sarvari.”
Shooting in Goa, however, came with its own challenges, particularly for an international crew unused to the heat and crowds. “It was so hot and so crowded. In fact, most of the movie was shot outdoors, and it was, I think, the worst possible month in Goa. But I must say, everyone was so cooperative and nobody complained. I think the director achieved that because she brought us together as a team and everyone settled into their roles.”
She also credits the production team for looking after the cast amid the demanding shoot. “The production did a fantastic job. They really went out of their way to take care of us. They would hijack us around some corner and take us away for fresh watermelon juice!”
One of the highlights of the shoot was working with young actor Ruhi Pal, who plays Sarvari. “Ruhi and I actually shared a vanity, so we got very close. She’s a brilliant kid. But all credit to Nico for getting that performance out of her. Ruhi would be pulling Nico’s hair, and Nico would give her the other side and say, ‘Okay, pull here!’”
A Mosquito in the Ear is all about adoption, explored through a personal and emotional lens. “The fact that it is a true story makes a huge difference. We saw pictures of the actual family, Sister Aruna and the mother and father. I don’t think anything was added from the filmmakers’ side. They simply stayed true to the book. And that is why it touches you, because the book has been written with so much heart.”
The response from audiences has also reinforced her belief in the film’s emotional reach. “I actually have family who has watched the movie in New York, Boston and elsewhere, and they all came away saying the same thing: ‘What a lovely movie it is.’” When you are shooting, you know that it is something special, but nothing prepares you for the final product. When you are shooting, everything is disjointed. But then you see the finished product and you are hit by the whole thing. I think the music, the cinematography and the editing are all fantastic.”
Having played a variety of characters over the years, Micky says she has become selective about the roles she takes on. “I look at every role individually. I need to have something to do with it. Even with my advertisements, I don’t like doing something where you just blink and miss me. I want to do something substantial. I would do something meaningful, something simple, something that excites me as an actor.”
There is another important consideration for Singh when choosing a role. “I should be able to watch it with my grandson. Whatever I do, I should be able to watch it with him. I wouldn’t want to do something where my grandson says, ‘What did you do? Why did you kill somebody?’! I want to play good characters and diverse characters.”
She adds that opportunities available to older women in Indian cinema and OTT have changed considerably with time. “Initially, there was a very clichéd version of women of a certain age. Women my age generally play grandmothers or something similar. But I have played a gynecologist. I have played a shrink. I have played Sister Aruna. So I think a lot of exciting things are happening and it is definitely a better space and a good time to be an actor, especially when you are 60-plus.”
For now, Micky is looking forward to A Mosquito in the Ear reaching Indian audiences. “I think it has been received we’’ all over the world, and I hope that when it comes to India, it will be received just as warmly because it is an Indian story.”
For more updates, join/follow our
https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb677uz60eBXiDYheb0n