Nazanin Boniadi talks about starring in ‘A Mosquito in the Ear’ film

Acclaimed British actress Nazanin Boniadi chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about starring in the new film “A Mosquito in the Ear.”

The movie is based on the true story chronicled in Andrea Ferraris’ graphic novel of the same name. “A Mosquito in the Ear” follows Andrew (Jake Lacy) and Daniela (Nazanin Boniadi) as they travel to Goa, India to bring home their newly adopted four-year-old daughter, Sarvari (played by Ruhi Pal).

When Sarvari refuses to leave the only home she’s ever known, their long-awaited journey takes an unexpected turn—unraveling into a volatile, deeply human struggle marked by emotional upheaval, marital strain, and the unpredictable realities of forming a family.

The film is directed and co-written by BAFTA newcomer Nicola Rinciari in as part of his directorial feature debut.

Experience in ‘A Mosquito in the Ear’

On being a part of “A Mosquito in the Ear,” she remarked, “It was such a good time. Similar to my co-star Jake Lacy, my agent read the script, loved it, and passed it on to me. It was really all on the page. Nicola was very collaborative, and it was great working with him and his wife; we felt like we were in good hands. While he was a first time feature film director, I thought he had a lot of answers for someone who has never done this before.”

“I immediately felt comfortable,” she admitted. “I was exceptionally excited when Jake [Lacy] got cast as well. So, we had a great time and it was my second time in India. I starred in ‘Hotel Mumbai,’ which was filmed in India, but in a very different place. Goa is more beachside, and a little bit more hippy dippy and artsy. We had a good time and we had a lot of great food as well.”

Playing Daniela in ‘A Mosquito in the Ear’

On playing Daniela in the movie, she stated, “There was a lot of discovery on set between Jake and myself, as well as Nicola Rinciari and his wife Emily Dillard and the cast in general. Also, with Ruhi, who is exceptional as Sarvari, the little girl.”

“I love my character because initially she comes across as the one who is most nervous and worried about the process, and whether or not the kid is going to like them or if we are going to be good parents. I feel that Jake’s character, Andrew, reassures me,” she noted.

“Then, as time goes by, I feel like my character is the one who is holding everything together, but also internally falling apart,” she said.

“Daniela feels like she is parenting two people, and not really having anyone be her rock. What is interesting about this is that everyone feels that way at some point throughout the film. It’s not unique to my character. Everyone somewhat feels alone and confused, and it’s all about the three of us finding each other,” she explained.

“I don’t want to be cliché but in a way, the film starts crossing borders and then it ends dissolving borders, if that makes any sense,” she added.

Working with Ruhi Pal as the young girl who plays Sarvari

On working with Ruhi Paul, who plays Sarvari, she said, “Honestly, Ruhi is the glue of the film. We obviously couldn’t have pulled this off without her. And specifically her, not just an actress, but specifically Ruhi. The whole process was fun with her. She didn’t need anybody else’s help. She got it! She was just present, having fun, and not overthinking anything. She is absolutely the heart and the backbone of the movie.”

Stage of her life

On the title of the current chapter of her life, Nazanin said with a sweet laugh, “Untitled.”

Lessons learned from the screenplay

On the lessons learned from the script, she reflected, “I think at the end of the day, Jake made a really good point in an earlier interview where he talked about not wanting this to be a white saviour film, which I totally agree with. I feel like so many times, especially in adoption stories, the adult comes along and they know what they are doing.”

“I think someone once told me the first barrier to growth is thinking you know everything because you have nowhere to go from there, like you’re not going to learn anything,” she observed.

“So, that to me, was the takeaway. If you enter something not knowing much about, then there’s somewhere to go from there, and you have something to learn, and something to transform into. I think that’s the beauty of the film and I also like the takeaway,” she concluded.

To learn more about esteemed British actress Nazanin Boniadi, follow her on Instagram.