“Sophia Duleep Singh’s real-life story packs a punch"
Star of BBC One show Vigil, Anjli Mohindra, is set to help adapt the biography of a Sikh princess for TV.
The biography of Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, entitled Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary was published by journalist Anita Anand in 2015.
Now, Mohindra has begun writing a pilot called The Goddaughter, which has been given its name due to the fact that the princess was Queen Victoria’s goddaughter.
It comes after she secured a deal with Urban Myth Films and writer Joe Barton, whom she has recently finished shooting with on the sci-fi thriller Extinction which will be released on Sky in 2022.
Mohindra, who has also appeared in Bodyguard and The Sarah Jane Adventures, has spoken about why she is excited to work on the new series alongside Urban Myth Films.
Anjli 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 centre stage.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Urban Myth Films who share our extraordinary passion for this incredible South Asian woman.”
Urban Myth Films executive producer Johnny Capps 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.”
Biography author Anita 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.”
Currently, it is not known when filming for the TV biopic will begin.
Princess Sophia Duleep Singh was born in England in 1876 after her father, Maharaja Sir Duleep Singh, was exiled from Punjab and married Maharani Bamba Müller in Egypt.
She grew up surrounded by the British aristocracy but after visiting India, she became a revolutionary, social activist and prominent suffragette.
Princess Sophia also defied the British government for Indian independence.
She received posthumous recognition such as her name and picture being on the plinth of the statue of Millicent Fawcett in Parliament Square, London, which was unveiled in April 2018.
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