Sanya Sagar opens up about A Mosquito in the Ear and the role she almost turned down

The film came to me when I was literally not expecting it. The whole experience was magical. I received a casting call for what I was told was a short international film about a nun in an orphanage in Goa. That’s all I knew when they called, and I remember thinking, ‘Man, I’m not interested.’ They insisted I at least test for it, so I auditioned. At the time, I was in Mumbai shooting for another project. Then I got a call saying I was locked for the part. Believe it or not, I was still contemplating whether to do it! They told me they were looking for ‘the Skoda ad girl’. I had done a Skoda ad that was also shot in Goa, and they really wanted to lock me for the role.

By then, I found out that the film was based on a graphic novel. I looked it up and immediately felt a connection when I read that adoption was at the heart of the story, because that’s a subject very close to my heart. So, I said yes. The scene I had auditioned with was also such a sweet one. I had no idea about the scale of the production or the people involved until I arrived on set, and what a pleasant surprise it was! I met Sunitha Ram ma’am, who is a producer at Excel and was one of the producers on The Archies. Then there was Darren Dean, who produced and wrote The Florida Project with Willem Dafoe — I had been a fan of that film. And then, of course, Nico, who is such a brilliant director. It just kept getting better, you know? Only after we wrapped did I connect with Joe Thomas, who has produced films like Monkey Man with Dev Patel.

I’m so grateful I did the part. You know what they say: what’s meant to be will be. Otherwise, who would have thought that an actress from Goa would land an international role? It’s so uncanny. Here I am, surfing, working out and living far away from city life, and somehow this came my way. But as they say, what’s meant to be will be.”

Sister Teresina is quite a character. I was sent some material, but I also did my own research on her and the book, which was written by Andrea Ferraris, who is also Sarvari’s real-life father. I read everything I could find online about Sister Teresina, her character in the book and her relationship with Sarvari.

During the workshop, Ruhi and I developed such a strong bond, and that helped me completely immerse myself in the role of Sister Teresina. For me, it was all about their relationship and the motherly love she has for Sarvari. Sarvari and Sister Teresina also arrive at the orphanage around the same time, so they share that connection. And, OMG, I love that girl! She’s such an intelligent young actress.The genuine bond Ruhi and I share off-screen played a massive role in helping us portray our characters and make their relationship feel authentic. I also have a younger brother, and there’s a 15-year age gap between us, so I didn’t have to consciously bring that sense of motherly care into the character. It came quite naturally to me.

I learned about love the hard way, and I say that because I’ve come to understand that love is a skill, not just an emotion. It’s an act of selfless giving, of accepting people for who they are and accepting the situations we find ourselves in together. I’ve started seeing love in a very different light. We can’t control it, and we can’t hold it back either. If there’s a beautiful connection between two people and you share beautiful moments together, you should enjoy them while you can. And if, at some point, a situation arises where someone needs to move on because it’s in their best interest, then who are we to stop them? We should be happy that the person we love is choosing what’s best for them, shouldn’t we? I think that’s the beauty of love — being able to watch someone you love move forward and genuinely smile for them, even if you have to do it from a distance.

The final scene of separation, when Sister Teresina hands the child over to her parents, was the most difficult for me. Nico directed me so beautifully. As Sister Teresina, I was already carrying a lot of emotion from the very beginning. When my character first enters the room with Sarvari to introduce her to the parents, Nico kept reminding me, ‘Hold it back. Don’t let go just yet.’ That emotion keeps building until the very last moment, when she has to bid Sarvari a final goodbye.

 It was incredibly difficult to bring out those emotions because everyone was bringing something very real to the scene. There was no pressure to manufacture anything, if you know what I mean. It became even more real for me because this little girl, who is a brilliant, brilliant actress, was feeling that energy too, and she cried. There was no glycerine — she actually cried. That made me really emotional because the scene was being played and directed so beautifully. It’s not easy to reach that emotional breaking point and then keep going through multiple takes and shots, but we somehow nailed it in, I think, two takes.

The camera team was also fantastic. The whole system was so on point. I later heard they had a lot more footage. Emily, the co-writer and producer, mentioned in one of her interviews that they had captured quite a bit because, with a film this sensitive, you can’t afford to miss those tiny emotional details and micro-expressions. They were very mindful of that — making sure the actors were properly covered when they were having those important emotional moments. That really helped make the scene what it is

My training as a filmmaker was primarily in London. I assisted Mr Sudhir Mishra before leaving the country, but most of my production training happened there, so I’m quite familiar with the international style of filmmaking. Back in the day, systems such as insurance and risk assessments weren’t really part of film productions in our country. Now, of course, we’re seeing more of these practices being introduced into Indian filmmaking, which is fantastic. A lot of young filmmakers are learning through the right channels and bringing that knowledge back with them.

 Being on the actor’s side of this production made me realise how much easier it is for actors to perform and focus entirely on their craft when there’s a proper system in place, rather than having to deal with all the distractions that can arise on a set.

 The film was also shot with sync sound, which is such an important part of international filmmaking, and I really appreciated the attention given to sound. It’s often underestimated in Indian productions, where dubbing is more common, but it isn’t easy to recreate those emotions later. That was especially important for this film because there were so many sensitive moments that couldn’t simply be repeated or recreated.

 Half the production was based in America, with some actors there and others here, so they had to capture the performances properly on the actual shooting days. And they did it beautifully.

 The entire production worked in such great synergy. Everyone, from the light man to the director and producer, worked together, and everything happened almost seamlessly. We were all bonded and united. We ate together; there was no, ‘Oh, they’re big stars, they’ll eat in their van.’ Nothing like that. We were a team, almost like a family, and we worked so well because there was no blame game. Everyone was simply trying to help each other in the best possible way.That, to me, is the beauty of making a film. We cannot hate what we love, you know? There has to be a certain decorum on a set, and that was something I found truly beautiful about this production.

It honestly is the biggest achievement for all of us. This is an independently made film, created with so much love and care around a sensitive subject like adoption, which is still a taboo in many families across the world. People have certain notions about bringing someone else into a family and how that child will grow up, you know.

 So, when a project like this travels internationally and, hopefully, reaches a global audience and receives recognition, it is incredibly gratifying. It feels like a validation that we did the right thing and that we’re supporting a good cause. If the film, through its achievements, big or small, can make a difference in people’s lives, then hopefully it will also encourage more filmmakers to tell stories about sensitive subjects that are often debated when, really, there should be nothing to debate.

 Through the film, I’ve also had the opportunity to get to know the real Sarvari. I’ve seen what a beautiful, ambitious young woman she has grown into and what a loving family she has. They have given her such a beautiful home and the space to grow like a flower. Why would anyone deny someone that kind of beauty in life?

 An award for a film is never one person’s win. It belongs to everyone involved — from the making and production to post-production — but it also belongs to those who have adopted and those who are hoping to be adopted. If this film can make even a small difference in their lives, then it’s a win-win for all of us. I think that’s a beautiful thing, and I honestly feel blessed by the universe to have been a part of it.