I had the pleasure of meeting young and aspiring Indian actress Indira Tiwari during her visit to Sri Lanka, where she was filming the much-anticipated project ‘Turtle’s Gaze on Spying Stars’ by world acclaimed film director Vimukthi Jayasundara in the stunning setting of Riverston. This encounter inspired me to delve deeper into her artistic journey, from her early beginnings in theater and film to her remarkable experiences with renowned filmmakers. This week’s cover story of Youth Observer, explores Indira’s inspiring evolution as an actress, her recent significant roles, and her aspirations as she navigates the vibrant and dynamic world of cinema.
Indira Tiwari began her acting career with a role as a student in Prakash Jha’s 2011 Bollywood film Aarakshan. She then appeared in four short films: Ekanth, The Manliest Man, Unfair, and Return to Cinder, showcasing her versatility.
In 2020, Tiwari garnered critical acclaim for her performance in Suman Mukhopadhyay’s Nazarband, which was based on a short story by Ashapurna Devi. That same year, she starred alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Sudhir Mishra’s Netflix original, Serious Men.
Her prominence in the industry continued to rise with a notable role in the 2022 film Gangubai Kathiawadi, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and based on Hussain Zaidi’s Mafia Queens of Mumbai, further establishing her as a talented actress in Bollywood.
First artistic expression
Sketching and painting were Indira’s very first artistic expressions in life, and her skills were recognized at a young age when she received the President’s Award ‘Balshree’ for creative arts. As a curious girl who didn’t want to be confined to a single mold, Indira continued to explore her true self through creativity, and her journey was fascinating.
From childhood, she was an avid theatergoer. Born in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, a city known for its vibrant theater scene, she grew up surrounded by theater actors and directors, as her mother took her everywhere and exposed her to theater from a young age. She laughed as she recalled feeling mature at five and six years old because she could grasp the concepts of theater and its various narratives. Indira had the opportunity to attend numerous workshops and play different characters as a child in street theatre groups. Thus, painting, sculpture, and theater became her favorite subjects during her formative years.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Painting and also completed her studies at the National School of Drama. In 2018, Indira landed her first leading role in the feature film Nazarband, directed by Suman Mukhopadhyay. “It’s a travel film, and the entire shoot took place in Kolkata. It was a very interesting film that I was excited to be a part of. Although the film faced uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented me from traveling with it to international festivals, it premiered at the Busan Film Festival in 2020. The film received many positive reviews and was well-received by international audiences.”
Netflix original film Serious Man
After that, she received an invitation for a TV series with Zee TV. It was a challenging time for her, as her nanny was hospitalized and struggling between life and death. Her nanny was a devoted fan of the TV series. Being an independent and free-spirited woman who trusted her instincts, Indira felt a cosmic connection to this invitation and decided to give it a try. Being someone who makes the right demands for her professional work, she always offers any production her 100 percent professionalism and expects the same in return. She asked the Zee team to send her tickets to Mumbai for the mock shoot, as it was her first time in the city.
“However, I was not happy with the offer, as they had cast me as an extra. By then, I had established myself as a lead actress in feature films, so committing to an extra role for three years felt like a waste of time,” Indira said.
Once she declined the project, Indira was just outside the Infinity Wall of Mumbai, trying to catch an auto-rickshaw, when she suddenly noticed someone waving at her. Feeling anonymous in the big city, she was curious about who was calling her. She waited for a moment, and the guy ran over to her. He was a line producer who had seen almost every theatre production of Indira’s staged in Delhi and loved them. During their brief conversation, he learned about her reason for being in Mumbai and that she would be leaving the next day since the Zee offer hadn’t worked out.
“He gave me a few contact numbers and urged me to call them all to arrange auditions while I was in Mumbai. However, I explained that I had already booked my train to Bhopal for the next day. He insisted, ‘Just cancel it!’ At that time, I couldn’t afford to book another ticket. Nevertheless, he encouraged me to make a few calls and send text messages to get appointments. I didn’t even have a proper headshot but managed to send a passport-sized picture of myself. As soon as I sent one of the numbers, I received an immediate response,” she said.
With that returned call, Indira ended up doing her first audition and was selected to play the wife of the acclaimed actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the Netflix original film Serious Man, which was released in 2020.
Encounter with Sanjay Leela Bhansali
On the same day of the audition, Indira had a chance encounter with Shruti Mahajan, the casting director for Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Although nothing came of it immediately—just a quick chat and an exchange of details—it was a fortuitous first visit to Mumbai. A few months later, she received a phone call from Shruti Mahajan, who said that Sanjay Leela Bhansali wanted to meet her the very next day. At that time, she was in Mumbai filming Serious Man, and her shooting schedule was packed, making it difficult to find time for this life-changing encounter.
“It was not just for me; the entire batch from my academy was also invited to meet Bansali sir. I had to find a way to squeeze in the opportunity, so I requested to be released from the next day’s shoot, but it wasn’t possible. I kept praying, and somehow, in the afternoon, the shoot was canceled, allowing me to meet Bhansali sir,” Indira recounted.
So, when Indira explained to me her very first encounter with Bhansali, one of the best filmmakers in Bollywood, she couldn’t answer a single question he asked because she couldn’t stop crying. “It was such a miraculous moment in my life; I couldn’t hold back my emotions. I used to watch making-of videos of Bansali sir’s film songs on YouTube, observing how he directed his cast. I did this very often, and I had been waiting for this moment in my life,” she recalled.
After this meeting, Indira was cast in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi, where she got the chance to act with Alia Bhatt. So far, this has been a turning point in her acting career, allowing her to crack the code and step into the limelight of Bollywood.
Unforgettable Deepawali
During our hour-long, fascinating, cinema-like conversation, Indira mentioned a special Deepawali celebration she attended at Amitabh Bachchan’s residence, which she could never forget. There, she received confirmation of her character, Kamli, from Bhansali, and it was also her first encounter with Shah Rukh Khan, aka the King Khan. “It was a beautiful night. It was during my shoot with Nawazuddin sir in the film ‘Serious Man’, and Nawaz sir was kind enough to take me to this special Deepawali celebration. I was the only one without an identity, the only unknown in the crowd. All the stars I saw on TV and the silver screen were there. However, at the end of the ceremony, I went to say goodbye to Amitabh sir, and I saw Bhansali sir looking directly at me. He called out, ‘Darling, where were you? You look so pretty; come here.’ When I went over to him, I found Shah Rukh sir standing next to him. Bhansali sir introduced me to Shah Rukh sir, saying, ‘Please meet Indira; she will be in my next film.’ It was a double shock for me—being introduced to Shah Rukh sir for the first time and hearing the news from Bhansali sir that I had been chosen for his next film. I was over the moon!”
Indira was candid in saying that Shah Rukh Khan was not her favorite actor, but she was very curious about how he had become such a charismatic figure. In her first close encounter with him, she realized what made him so charismatic as well as a very humble person.
This magical encounter for Indira came to an end within minutes, as a woman in a saree, ran across the vast reception hall with her shawl billowing behind her. “I had no clue where she came from, but everyone and everything was distracted, and that marked the end of that magical Diwali night,” Indira said. We both laughed when I exclaimed, “Oh man! That’s Bollywood!” It instantly reminded me of Bansali’s masterpiece Devdas, especially Aishwarya’s portrayal of Paro in the film’s final scene, where she races to the palace gates, calling out for Shah Rukh Khan’s character, who is dying at the gate.
In that moment, I realized how captivating this dramatic and enchanting industry is, making life feel larger than life. For an aspiring actress, being in such a vibrant environment can ignite the desire to reach for the spotlight, just like the charismatic stars.
‘Turtle’s gaze on spying stars’
“Turtle’s Gaze on Spying Stars,” the upcoming film by Vimukthi Jayasundara, is an international collaboration among Sri Lanka, India, and France. The film was shot over thirty days in Riverston, a location Vimukthi is passionate about due to its unique environmental surroundings. Indira has been cast in the main female role, and the film is set in a future ravaged by a mysterious pandemic caused by humanity’s over-dependence on technology. Indira’s character is a refugee from Sri Lanka who returns to her homeland and is forcibly admitted to a valley resort that has been converted into an isolation facility. Once there, memories from her Sri Lankan past haunt her, but rather than instilling fear—as the facility intends—the experience fosters love and compassion through her interactions with strangers.
“When Vimukthi sir selected me, I was over the moon. I had gone through his portfolio, which has received high recognition at the Cannes Film Festival, and it was a great opportunity to work with him on my very first international project. However, I was not fluent in English, and during our very first meeting, I told him that my English was not good, but that acting was my language. I assured him that if he trusted me, I would give him my 100 percent. It feels miraculous to realize that I have been here for one month now, and with the whole international crew, I could converse and express myself in English. Here I am, sitting with you and giving an interview in English,” Indira, the young aspiring actress full of positive energy, said with a smile.
Successfully completing the leading role in Jayasundara’s Turtle’s Gaze on Spying Stars’ showcases Indira’s versatile talent in adapting to any character across different genres. As Jayasundara’s cinema is characterized by visually driven storytelling with minimal dialogue and aligns more closely with European filmmaking, which contrasts sharply with Bollywood’s formulas, Indira was able to grasp the director’s vision and deliver exactly what he asked for effortlessly.
“It was a great opportunity for me to work with Vimukthi sir. It was an interesting film with a different aesthetic of cinema, which I enjoyed the most. I had a wonderful time shooting with core cast members Saumya Liyanage, Kaushalya Fernando, Hidaayath Hazeer, Samanalee Fonseka, and a few others during my stay in Sri Lanka. I look forward to this project and hope it will make its journey around the world soon,” Indira said.
