With Pinch (2025), writer-director-actor Uttera Singh delivers a sharply observed dark comedy that lays bare the fragility and contradictions of everyday life. Set against the vibrant backdrop of the Navaratri festival, the 83-minute film follows Maitri (Singh), a young travel vlogger whose impulsive act of defiance against a predatory landlord sets off a chain of unforeseen consequences. What emerges is a claustrophobic and moral inquiry as humor cuts through silence and complicity, revealing a society grappling with shame, power and the cost of speaking up.

In this interview, following Pinch’s acclaimed festival run, Singh reflects on the impulses that shaped her feature directorial debut. The filmmaker discusses the contradictions she wanted to explore and the delicate balance of directing and performing in a story defined by ethical complexity.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Vimukt’ Filmmaker Jitank Singh Gurjar

Dipankar Sarkar: What inspired the idea of setting Pinch against a festive backdrop?

Uttera Singh: To be honest, the initial reason was practical. We had certain location constraints, and I needed the space to look lived-in. The Navaratri decorations, [for] an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, helped hide aspects of the location and made it feel authentic. But beyond the practicalities, Navaratri has always been one of my favorite festivals. It celebrates the goddess, and that symbolism mattered deeply to me. I wanted to explore the contradiction between how we worship these powerful goddesses and how, in reality, women are treated across the world. So, the festive setting became a meaningful backdrop that aligned with the film’s themes of divine feminine energy, empowerment and societal hypocrisy.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Rapture’ Filmmaker Dominic Sangma

DS: Pinch opens with a charged moment of mob vigilantism before moving back in time. Why did you choose to start the narrative with such immediacy instead of following a linear structure?

US: I always had this image in my mind of being stuck in a crowd — that feeling of tension and not knowing what happened. Beginning with that moment allowed the audience to step right into the chaos and ask, “What led to this?” We did consider other structures, like starting with the trip, but that first image wouldn’t leave me. So, we built the narrative around it. Starting there and then going back, 10 hours earlier, the day before, created a rhythm of tension and curiosity as we revealed what actually happened and who pinched whom.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Agra’ Filmmaker Kanu Behl

DS: Maitri left a stable job abroad to return to India and pursue a career in travel vlogging. Why did you choose this background for her, and what does it add to her character?

US: With the rise of social media fascination, we often see people turning to influencing as a career. Maitri is trying to figure out her own life, reassessing her choices and trying to understand what truly fulfills her. Giving her this background allowed me to explore that generational restlessness — the desire to carve out your own path even when it seems impractical or unstable. It also adds a layer of vulnerability to her character. She’s someone who took a leap of faith, left behind a conventional trajectory and is now navigating an unpredictable space where validation and success are fleeting. She’s already questioning herself, so when the incident happens, it pushes her into an even deeper conflict about identity, agency and how she wants to move through the world.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Crazxy’ Filmmaker Girish Kohli

DS: Pinch balances dark comedy with themes like sexual misconduct and guilt. How do you view the role of humor in addressing such difficult subjects without trivializing them?

US: Humor, to me, is a healing tool. We turn to comedy for comfort, joy and community. I never trivialized the assault or the difficult conversations. Those are never funny. But life itself is absurd, and trauma and absurdity often co-exist. From the beginning, I knew we were walking a thin line. The idea was to treat the serious themes with care while also acknowledging the strange, sometimes funny things that happen around us in real life. Humor became a way to focus on healing rather than the trauma itself.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Bahadur the Brave’ Filmmaker Diwa Shah

DS: At key moments in Pinch, a band plays a fusion of traditional Indian melodies and electronic beats. What purpose does this motif serve?

US: The band represents the protagonist’s psychological state. The women in the band are of different ages, suggesting that no matter how old we are, we carry trauma, memories and silence. Their costumes match the protagonist’s clothes — a detail symbolizing her anxiety and inner chaos. The electronic beats reflect the rage of being silenced, and the tabla reflects continuity and tradition. The band is essentially her inner world expressed musically.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Body’ Filmmaker Abhijit Mazumdar

DS: Shobha (Geeta Agrawal Sharma) walks a tightrope between protecting her daughter and conforming to social norms. How does she reflect the emotional and moral pressures faced by women in her position as a widowed woman living alone?

US: This is the first time someone has asked this, and it’s a brilliant question. I’ve seen so many widowed women who become the community’s go-to person simply because people think they’re “free.” They’re expected to cook, help, babysit and do everything else. Shobha is complex. She’s a people-pleaser, over-giving and dealing with her own life — her classes, her daughter. Her relationship with her daughter is loving but layered. Geeta Agrawal Sharma, who played Shobha, brought tremendous depth to the role. We discussed how Shobha is torn between societal expectations and her unwavering love for her daughter. The beauty of her character is that she exists in the grey zone — sometimes frustrating, sometimes sympathetic, always human. And many viewers have told me they hated her at moments and loved her at others, which is exactly what we wanted.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Vaat’ Filmmaker Miransha Naik

DS: When Maitri leaves for a bus stand, she encounters a female auto driver who adds a comic layer to the scene. What narrative function does this moment serve?

US: Firstly, I’m thrilled to see more female auto drivers in my hometown: Indore, India. It signals safety, autonomy and opportunity. That scene was inspired by a real conversation I had with a woman from a conservative family who told me, “I wear shorts at home now. My husband lets me.” I will never forget it. Feminism isn’t one-size-fits-all. It includes women from all backgrounds, living different realities. That auto driver character, in many ways, is one of the most feminist figures in the film. She has autonomy, she’s assertive and she navigates her life on her own terms. The scene also gives Maitri a moment of movement and discovery, guiding her toward Lily’s apartment while keeping the tone alive. Ranjana Ji, who played the role, is incredible, and only later did I discover she had acted in a Satyajit Ray film at age 14!

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Humans in the Loop’ Filmmaker Aranya Sahay

DS: Lily and her husband become collateral damage in the aftermath of Maitri’s impulsive act. What was your intention in designing this subplot?

US: You’ve asked another fantastic question. The purpose was to heighten Maitri’s moral reckoning. Justice is complicated, and our actions often have ripple effects we don’t foresee. Sometimes, in our pursuit of justice, we lose perspective. A wrong accusation, a moment of impulse or a thoughtless act can change someone else’s life. That subplot highlights the ethical complexity of such situations.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Dharti Latar Re Horo’ Filmmaker Shishir Jha

DS: Much of Pinch unfolds within tight interiors. What visual approach did you and cinematographer Adam Linzey adopt to convey Maitri’s psychological state?

US: Claustrophobia was one of the first things Adam and I discussed. When you’re anxious, misunderstood or confronting trauma, it can feel like there’s no air left. We wanted the physical space to mirror that inner suffocation. The interiors, tight framing and crowd sequences all contribute to that feeling of being trapped inside her mind, inside societal expectations, inside her guilt. Many men have also come up to me after screenings to share their own assault experiences, which reminded me that assault isn’t just a gender issue. It’s a power issue.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Bokshi’ Filmmaker Bhargav Saikia

DS: As both director and protagonist, how did you navigate the dual responsibilities on set?

US: Rehearsals were key. We spent a lot of time preparing — daily discussions, Zoom calls, phone rehearsals. By the time we reached the set, we all understood the world and the relationships. I’ve acted and directed myself before in a short film, and I learned that you must rehearse thoroughly and be extremely prepared. My mind works well under chaos, and juggling roles feels natural to me. Of course, things go wrong in an independent film, but you adapt. My father always reminds me: focus on the ball in front of you. That grounded me throughout.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Urf’ Director Geetika Narang Abbasi

DS: Pinch deals with gaslighting, guilt and the silencing of sexual misconduct. What do you hope viewers take away from these themes?

US: That’s a tough question, even for me. Predators are predators, and we can’t control everything. But I hope we can create environments where victims feel safe to speak up and communities respond with compassion, not judgment. The ending is hopeful because I’m a hopeless romantic, and I want to believe that society can come together, support victims and prioritize healing over shame.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘In Retreat’ Filmmaker Maisam Ali

DS: After the festival run, what are your plans for Pinch’s release?

US: We want the film to reach as many people as possible and are looking for distribution. After one screening at Tribeca, a psychologist approached me, saying she wanted to use the film with her trauma clients. That reminded us why we made the film: to spark healing and conversation. We hope to bring the film to Indian audiences soon, perhaps through International Film Festival of India (IFFI) or other platforms, so that more people can engage with the themes and discussions it raises.

Dipankar Sarkar (@Dipankar_Tezpur) is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic based in India. As a freelancer, he regularly contributes to various Indian publications on cinema-related topics.

Pinch Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Ghasjomi’ Filmmaker Sumantra Roy