Ranchi girl, 26-year old Priyanka Singh, is all set to dazzle the silver screen with her debut film ACID — Astounding Courage in Distress on January 3. Singh will be seen as the female lead Ruhana in the movie.
The movie also marks the directorial debut of Singh, who is presently based in Mumbai for her work. ACID is based on the real life story of an acid attack survivor in Uttar Pradesh who later becomes a role model for the society.
“ It is a movie based on incidents, which happened in Uttar Pradesh without disclosing the identity of the victim. I have always wanted to make movies that are not just entertaining but also give a strong social message. And, what more could I have wished for to making my debut film other than on a topic, which our society is dealing with,” said the budding actress.
Singh portrays the character of Ruhana in the movie along with Man Singh who will be seen as the lead antagonist – Bilal and Mamta Verma who play the role of her on screen mother Shabana. The film has been produced under the banner of PS Film Craft International and presented by Sourya Music International Production. The story has been penned by Arjanya Anand.
“ While playing the character of Ruhana, I tried to portray the emotions of an acid attack victim. To prepare for the role I personally met victims of such attacks and tried spending some quality time with them. Since this movie deals with a sensitive social issue, I hope that through this attempt, I am able to change the mindset of people involved in such crimes,” added Singh.
Singh, who was born in Ranchi, has done her schooling from Carmel School and completed her graduation in mass communication and video production from St. Xavier’s College Ranchi in 2014. After working as an Assistant Director for a Mumbai based production house, Singh has also been involved in making a few short films like Dark in the Nation and Sahib Biwi Jasoos.
“Once I had gained some experience after making short films, I decided to make a feature film in 2017. During the course of this movie, when I met those survivors it struck me that I should not just be behind the camera but in front of it as well,” remarked Sigh.
Apart from ACID, Singh has other movies in the pipeline as well. ‘Intezaar’ — a suspense thriller slated to release in mid 2020 is also another movie directed by the Ranchi girl.
A resident of Sai City, Ranchi, Singh tries to visit her home town as frequently as possible. “I have very fond memories of the time spent here with my family and friends. I espically make it a point to be here for the major festivals and celebrate them with my family,” said Singh.
“My parents have always taught me to stay focused towards my career and have always supported my decisions. Though they are not very expressive, I know they are extremely proud of me,” said a beaming Singh.
Her father Anil Kumar Singh is a city based builder while her mother Manju Singh is a home maker.