The International Film Festival Journey Of My Film Was Nothing Short Of Magical And Deeply Humbling: Actor Filmmaker Akshay Singh On Pinky Beauty Parlour

Actor Akshay Singh, who made his debut as a producer and director with his feature film Pinky Beauty Parlour, shared that the movie was more than just a project for him. It wasn’t only his vision coming to life but also a risk he chose to take. And as luck would have it, the risk paid off when Pinky Beauty Parlour not only made headlines at film festivals but also turned into a multidimensional journey that saw Akshay wearing several hats, including that of writer and lead actor.

He said, "Honestly, I had only signed up to write and direct Pinky Beauty Parlour. But once the script took shape, I thought, why not play the male lead too? The character spoke more through silences and eyes than words, and I have always found that space intriguing."

"Plus, on a lighter note, this poor guy gets beaten up by everyone, the cops, the two leading ladies, even his colleague and a client at the parlor! I figured no one else would volunteer to get so much bashing up, so I might as well take the hits myself," he added.

Sharing how he ended up producing it, he said that though initially he had a producer on board, things didn't work out with them. He said, "I didn’t want to compromise on the film’s vision. After a long conversation with my wife, who is also my producer partner, we decided, ‘Let’s do this ourselves; beg or borrow or take the risks, but let’s make the film our way!’ My wife and I put in our savings, broke our investments, and backed our belief in the story. And just like that, I accidentally became a producer too."

Akshay mentioned that the film centered on beauty standards and societal pressure and was inspired by his own childhood experiences. He said, "The idea came from a very personal place. I grew up in a joint family and witnessed how two of my younger cousin sisters were treated differently because of their skin tone. The fairer one was always adored and pampered more, while the other faced constant comparisons. It bothered me deeply because I felt love shouldn’t be filtered through shades of fairness."

"Years later, when I was brainstorming for my first film, this memory came rushing back. I started researching more on this and discovered countless real life stories across India that echoed this complexion bias. That’s how my film Pinky Beauty Parlour was born, a fictional story rooted in a painful reality. During my research, I also realized there are more beauty parlors in India than paan shops! That insight itself said so much about our country’s obsession with appearance." he added.

Among its many accolades, Pinky Beauty Parlour was honored as the Closing Film at the Hawaii International Film Festival (USA) and the Ottawa Film Festival (Canada), and as the Opening Film at the reputed SAARC International Film Festival (Sri Lanka). It also received a Special Mention at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI, Goa), a special recommendation at the Mumbai International Film Festival (MAMI), and Special Jury Awards at both the Kerala and Rajasthan International Film Festivals. Besides these, it was also selected and screened at international film festivals in Melbourne, Seattle, Sydney, Canada, Moscow, and many more.

Reflecting on the film’s global journey, he described it as a surreal experience. "The festival journey of my film Pinky Beauty Parlour was nothing short of magical and deeply humbling. I still remember screenings where people from different states and countries walked up to me, some even with tears in their eyes, saying they saw their own families and societies reflected in the film. That kind of emotional connection is every filmmaker’s dream," he said.

"In fact, the fact that my first feature film as writer, director, and producer went on to travel across more than 30 international film festivals, winning accolades and hearts along the way, was in itself a huge award and reward for me, along with it being a humbling experience," Akshay concluded.