Gold Coast Film Festival to feature rising star Priya Kansara as a teenage stuntwoman

Rising star Priya Kansara takes on a new challenge as an aspiring teenage stuntwoman in Polite Society, highlighting women’s rights and sisterhood in a new film premiering at the Gold Coast Film Festival Wednesday.

Priya Kansara stars as Ria Khan and Ritu Arya as her sister Lena in Nida Manzoor’s new film, Polite Society. Picture: Saima Khalid/2023 Focus Features

Rising British star Priya Kansara has proven her acting versatility, from the regency-era drama Bridgerton to the fantasy drama The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself.

Those heading to the Gold Coast Film Festival at the Home of the Arts Queensland (HOTA) in Surfers Paradise Wednesday will be the first to see Kansara take on a new challenge in Polite Society, where she plays an aspiring teen stunt woman.

But Kansara’s talents extend beyond her acting prowess; she is also an advocate for women’s rights, a topic heavily alluded to in her new film.

Kansara stars alongside Netflix Umbrella Academy’s Ritu Arya, in this fresh coming-of-age story that combines Bollywood flair with martial arts excitement.

The film follows the journey of two London-based Pakistani-Muslim sisters, Ria (Kansara) who dreams of being a stuntwoman, and Lena (Arya) who aspires to become an artist, as they pursue their creative dreams while navigating the complexities of family, culture, and sisterhood.

Priya Kansara stars as Ria Khan in director Nida Manzoor’s new film, ‘Polite Society, a Focus Features release. Picture: Parisa Taghizadeh/2023 Focus Features LLC

Their bond is put to the test when Lena becomes engaged, and Ria fears this will derail both their dreams.

Kansara and Arya’s on-screen chemistry shines as the movie delves into the complexities of sisterhood, in what is Nida Manzoor’s feature film directorial debut.

“The crux of this story is the bond between the two sisters,” Kansara said.

When asked about the secret behind their authentic portrayal of siblings on-screen, Kansara told the Courier-Mail that she credits their representation to sheer luck.

“I think it’s like sheer luck that the two of us just got along so well. I feel like it was something that we were both nervous about, because it’s such a huge part of this film, it really is like the thread that kind of holds it all together,” Kansara said.

“We didn’t get a chance to like meet before we were cast or do like a chemistry read. But then when we were together, we just kind of clicked and we got on so well.

Priya Kansara stars as Ria Khan and Ritu Arya as her sister Lena in Nida Manzoor’s new film, Polite Society. Picture: Saima Khalid/2023 Focus Features

“She really feels like my sister, and we tried to hang out before we started shoot just to kind of get to know one another as much as possible.”

In preparation for her role as an aspiring stuntwoman, Kansara said she fully immersed herself in the world of stuntwork, undergoing extensive training in fight scenes and wire work.

“After I got cast, like six, seven weeks before we started to shoot, we pretty much instantly started fight training, stunt training, and doing acting rehearsals at the same time,” Kansara said,

“And I would train like three times, four times a week sometimes in preparation for it, I think I had like, one day off a few months, it was insane.

“And weirdly, I felt like I was like living (my character’s) dream through preparing for this part, I got to feel like I was a stunt woman, and that’s like her dream, so it really made me understand her on so many different levels.”

Priya Kansara stars as Ria Khan and Ritu Arya as her sister Lena in new film, Polite Society. Picture: Parisa Taghizadeh/2023 Focus Features LLC

Ironically, her only on-set injury came from a non-stunt mishap.

“I think I accidentally walked backwards into like, a piece of equipment or something, it was like entirely my fault really just not paying attention,” she said.

Best known for We Are Lady Parts, Manzoor’s Polite Society shares a similar focus on strong female characters breaking cultural norms and expectations.

The film also explores women’s reproductive rights and arranged marriages with a charmingly comedic and lighthearted tone.

Kansara emphasises the importance of addressing these topics in today’s climate, praising Manzoor for her sensitive and entertaining approach.

“Nida is able to touch on these topics so creatively and with such sensitivity, but also in a really hilarious and entertaining way,” she said.

Polite Society is set to premiere at the Gold Coast Film Festival Wednesday at Home of the Arts in Queensland in Surfers Paradise, before arriving in cinemas nationally on April 27. Picture: Universal Pictures

“There’s been so much talk, for example, about women’s reproductive rights in current news, and to be able to showcase the importance of ensuring that women have the right to choose what they want to do with their lives.

“And being able to discuss it in a way that I think is so much more digestible for everybody just makes it an even more incredible script and screenplay.”

Polite Society arrives in cinemas nationally on April 27.