“Life has a funny way of working out,” says Ankita Singh, and her journey is a testament to that. She is the first South Asian woman playwright to have received a national commission by Auckland Theatre Company (ATC). Her play titled ‘Basmati B*tch’ is set to be performed at the prestigious Q Theatre in Auckland from July 11-29.
Starting out as an illustrator, Ankita drew inspiration from anime and manga, but her creative journey took a different turn when she got into the world of creative writing.
In an interview with The Indian Weekender, she shared her thoughts on her upcoming play.
How do you feel about being the first South-Asian writer to receive a main bill commission from the Auckland Theatre Company?
I am very honoured by their trust in me, especially as a first-time playwright. I am definitely standing on the shoulders of giants, and I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for countless South Asians paving the way before me.
My main aim with writing this play was to give the actors empowering, fun roles to play and give them the opportunity to do stunts and play odd-ball comedic characters - something I feel Asians don’t really get to do often in Aotearoa.
Can you tell us a bit about your play? How did the idea of Basmati B*tch originate?
The play is set in an alternate futuristic reality where rice is illegal - so obviously, a black market for the stuff has popped up and is thriving. A repressed office worker and an undocumented fighter with a mysterious past become embroiled in said black market and the Kingpin who runs it. Ultimately, the play is about friendship, adapting and putting yourself on the line for others.
The seed of the idea came to me when one rainy evening, I saw an Asian student squatting at a bus stop, desperately eating plain rice out of a wad of glad-wrap. It was such a striking image. I just had the thought, “What if rice was a precious commodity people were willing to fight and even kill for?”. I also happened to be doing Muay Thai at the time, so martial arts got imbued into the idea - I just really wanted to see South Asian women kick ass.
What inspired you to write it, and what themes or messages does it explore?
Initially, I aimed to provide Asian actors with opportunities in an underrepresented genre, crime-comedy, in Western countries. However, my research and writing made me realise that climate change will drive the largest migration in history, with labour and climate refugees in the coming century.
The play tackles real and urgent issues of displacement, citizenship, and climate anxieties. Balancing a dark comedy with these themes was challenging, yet I aimed to keep it entertaining and hopeful.
In times of uncertainty, people need joy and hope to envision a better future. The main message is that even in bleak moments, hope can prevail.
Could you briefly take us through your journey? Where were you born, your education and your experiences?
I was born in Mumbai but spent most of my childhood in Chandigarh and Amritsar.
Ankita Singh
My parents decided to immigrate to Aotearoa for a more peaceful life for my brother and I in 2003. I turned 7 a month or two after we landed here in 2003, and I spent my childhood between Chandigarh and Kirikiriroa.
It was pretty difficult adjusting to life here with no extended family; I could also barely understand English, so I got put into ESOL classes, which I actually loved because I got to read many stories instead of interacting with people. I was an overweight, nerdy Indian kid with a thick accent who always had her nose in a book or was constantly drawing, so I got bullied pretty badly - by pretty much everyone, even other South Asians!
High School was a much better experience - apart from making a bunch of fantastic misfit friends, in year 9, I gave a killer speech in front of my year about “doing your mum” jokes.
In my senior year, I took up drama without telling my parents, and that’s how I discovered theatre. During a drama trip I saw South Asians on stage for the first time with Indian Ink’s “Kiss The Fish” - it was a life-changing experience seeing people like me on stage for the first time.
I enrolled for Communication Studies at AUT, where I made lifelong friends, and learnt a lot about media, film and ethics during my degree.
I eventually landed a Communications Internship at CJ Culture Foundation in Seoul through the Asia NZ Foundation in 2019. It was during this 3-month internship that I really got to do some soul searching and realised I was a creative at heart; I needed to give myself a shot. So, while lying on the heated floor of my room in Seoul, I applied for the Masters of Creative Writing specialising in screenwriting at AUT University - I landed back in Tamaki, started the course the next day and two weeks later we had the first lockdown.
Not long after graduating in 2021, I won the Piki Pitch, got funding to make an episode for a TVNZ Anthology, and even got commissioned by ATC. So I guess I made the right decision.
I think the lesson I learnt is that investing in yourself is always a good idea and the importance of giving yourself a shot. Otherwise, you’re always going to be wondering what could have been,
Tell us more about what you have worked on as a screenwriter. What motivated you to venture into playwriting?
My foray into playwriting actually began before my course, in 2018, where I got accepted into Oryza’s Asian Playwright’s Lab, produced by Sums Selvarajan and Bala Murali Shingade. I had pitched Basmati while it was still just a little grain of an idea, they both really supported me, and along with Dione Joseph (founder of Black Creatives Aotearoa) and a bunch of very talented actors, I bashed out the first draft of this wild story.
Finally, what can audiences expect from your play? Is there anything you’d like to say to encourage them to come and experience Basmati B*tch ?
I think they can expect to see Asians on stage like they’ve never seen before in Aotearoa - whether that’s a good or bad thing, I’ll leave it up to the audience to decide.
If you’re the type of person who likes genre mashups, stage combat, singing, dancing, and probably swearing a bit too much, you’re probably going to have a fun night out.
It’s going to be entertaining and, I hope, heartfelt.
Basmati B*tch, Q Theatre
(Auckland Theatre Company, Oriental Maidens and SquareSums&Co)
July 11–29, 2023
https://www.qtheatre.co.nz/shows/basmati-bitch-ankita-singh
