Vigil Star to Pen British Indian Princess Biopic

Vigil and Bodyguard star Anjli Mohindra is set to adapt Anita Anand’s biography of Princess Sophia Duleep Singh for the screen.

After speculatively writing a pilot called The Goddaughter, Mohindra is now working with Urban Myth Films to tell the full story of Queen Victoria’s goddaughter who defied the British government for Indian independence.

Using Anand’s book Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary as its basis, the series will follow Duleep Singh’s life from growing up among the British aristocracy after her father’s exile from the East India Company to becoming a bold and fearless revolutionary, suffragette and social activist after visiting India herself.

Mohindra said: “While statues are being felled around the world, we desperately seek out the truth of our history. I have an immense amount of respect for Anita, and I couldn’t put her book down. Sophia Duleep Singh’s real-life story packs a punch, and now feels like the right time to bring such a bold and historically game-changing woman center stage. I’m thrilled to be working with Urban Myth Films, who share our extraordinary passion for this incredible South Asian woman.”

Johnny Capps, executive producer for Urban Myth Films, said: “When we read Anita’s book, we couldn’t believe that Sophia’s fascinating story had not already been told on screen. We love making bold shows with audacious characters, and Anjli has done a fantastic job at bringing Sophia to life with a boisterous script full of wit and bite.”

Anand added: “Sophia means the world to me, and I am so delighted to see her in the hands of such talented people. I can’t wait to see her story brought to life on screen.”