Spying Stars: Indira Tiwari opens up about selection at Busan Film Festival

Don’t fit her in a box, because that’s not where Indira Tiwari wants to be. After playing wife to Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Serious Men (2020) and Alia Bhatt’s confidant in Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022), the actor doesn’t wish to be pigeonholed into roles because of her appearance like a tribal woman, or X’s wife or something similar. That is why taking up Nila Madhab Panda’s Spying Stars, helmed by Sri Lankan filmmaker Vimukthi Jayasundara was a no-brainer, she says.

“I enjoyed the collaboration, the notes Vimukthi sir gave, the way he asked what I was thinking... It was a beautiful exchange. The space and the director’s vision allowed me to come out of the box. He chose me differently — he saw Anandi [her character]. That choice gave me growth and confidence; it made me want to explore,” shares Tiwari.

Indira Tiwari

Spying Stars also gives her the opportunity to experience film festivals for the first time as it is the only Indian film officially selected in the inaugural competition section at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). “I’m nervous and excited. It’s my first time going to a festival with my film, so I have a [lot on my] mind. My debut film Nazarband (2020) had its world première at Busan. Back then we were in lockdown, so we cheered our team from home. For Gangubai, Sanjay sir [Leela Bhansali, director] and Alia represented the film [at Berlinale]. This time, it’s special because I will be there in person,” says the actor.

Spying Stars follows Anandi, a biotechnician who travels to Hanuman Island to perform her father’s last rites, only to be quarantined at a remote hotel amid a pandemic in a dystopian, machine-dominated world. After her escape, she is followed by a mysterious star. Tiwari shares that she felt a connection with the story after the first reading. “[It is] because I’m a spiritual person. I haven’t seen my father; I only know him from family stories. So the film’s emotional core — a scientist reflecting on experiments and life, becoming isolated while trying to create something — resonated with me.”

While the film explores nature and humanity in a world obsessed with technology, she learnt to “slow down and be present in every moment”. “Working on Spying Stars made me realise that many answers come if you slow down and observe. You can’t solve everything at once. The film taught me acceptance and realisation that even in difficult situations, you can nurture your own story. When the film ended, I felt like I’d touched something of my father’s rituals — a sweet, personal satisfaction and acceptance that when things happen, the universe will guide you,” she says.