Prateik Patil Babbar Talks About his Role in Lioness; Says it Brought him Closer to Heritage

According to Prateik Patil Babbar, taking on the responsibilities of a British Sikh puts a great deal of pressure on him.

Prateik Patil Babbar, Aditi Rao Hydari, and British actress Paige Sandhu are preparing for their new roles in the international film “Lioness.” The first official UK-Indian co-production, Lioness, was launched at the recently concluded Cannes film festival and is written and will be directed by award-winning filmmaker Kajri Babbar. It has received certification from the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the British Film Institute (BFI).

Prateik went to the Golden Temple today to seek blessings before debuting a British-Sikh persona. Intriguingly, he was seen in the video taking the holy bath with long hair and a beard.
“It is a privilege for me to be a part of a movie that honours the heritage of Maharajah Ranjit Singh, our Sher-e-Punjab,’s granddaughter. Rajdeep Singh, a British Sikh living in Southhall in the 1990s, will be the character I play. I’ve had the ability to learn more about and connect with my Punjabi history thanks to the character. It is a big responsibility!” exclaims a happy Prateik.

The historian Peter Bance’s research into the life of Sophia Duleep Singh, the Princess of Punjab, served as an inspiration for the movie. Sophia, the goddaughter of Queen Victoria and the grandaughter of Maharajah Ranjit Singh was a stalwart fighter for the rights of women and children and one of the important figures in the UK’s suffragette movement.

Aditi’s character, an educated, married immigrant by the name of Mehak Kaur in Southall, unearths the Princess’s intriguing background that was lost in history while Paige Sandhu, a British actress of Indian descent, plays the role of Princess Sophia.

English Heritage erected a Blue Plaque at Hampton Court in London on May 26 in honor of the Princess. The movie production then hosted a celebratory reception at Hampton Court Palace. Several British lawmakers, British diplomats, and members of the Indian and UK film industries were present, and Gurinder Chaddha OBE served as one of the event’s keynote speakers.

The movie is now in pre-production and is expected to begin filming in London by the end of this year.