Uttera Singh is an actor, filmmaker and adjunct professor at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where she earned her MFA. Her becoming a professor is the best thing that’s happened to her father. Her short film Fanny Packscreened at over 80 film festivals worldwide, winning over 25 awards before being acquired by PBS. A Ryan Murphy HALF Program fellow, Uttera is making her feature directorial debut with Pinch, which she wrote, directed and stars in and had its world premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.
WARNING: Tangential thoughts of a procrastinating individual.
The Beginning: A Misleading Title and a Hindi movie Detour
The title, you ask? Why alligators, and why did I swim with them? You have been bamboozled. This article has nothing to do with alligators. No, I have never swum with them, and I didn’t grow up around them either. Sorry. I just find them scary, unpredictable and kind of funny looking.
They remind me of this old classic Hindi movie called Khoon Bhari Maang – which translates to “your hair parting is filled with blood instead of vermillion.” It sounds better and makes more sense in Hindi. Anyway, spoilers ahead: the antagonist feeds his simple but rich wife to a lake full of crocodiles … Sorry, they’re not alligators – crocodiles. Alligators versus crocodiles is like tomatoes, tomaaatoes … Alligators are primarily found in freshwater environments, whereas crocodiles can inhabit both freshwater and saltwater environments. Crocodiles are also bigger than alligators.
I did mention there were going to be tangents. Anyway, she survives, gets a new face, and comes back for revenge, which she gets by feeding her villain husband to the same crocodiles. It’s a classic. Highly recommended. You can find it on YouTube.
However, this article has nothing to do with that movie or crocodiles or real alligators. It’s just a love letter to trying not to give up, being somewhat resilient, having great friends, surrendering like an L.A. yogi, and somehow making an indie film.
The Middle: From Indore to Indie Film
I didn’t grow up around alligators or crocodiles. I’m sure they’re around, but I never sought them out or planned on running into them. I grew up in one of the most beautiful and cleanest cities – Indore, India. We’re known for our street food and how proud we are to be the cleanest city in India, so proud that we even have a song about it.
Two years ago, I decided to go back home, back to my roots, and try to make my first feature indie film in India – an Indian Indie. I had been working on the script for two years – a year by myself and then another with my co-writer/cinematographer.
Finally, one day I decided that if I didn’t do this now, then when? Everyone told me it wasn’t the brightest idea because the market was bad, no one was buying indie films and why did I want to make a dramedy about assault – isn’t MeToo a bit too much?!
Well, I heard them, but something inside of me was like, Yeah, but I still want to tell this story. So I got a one-way ticket to India. I thought I’d be done in three months, but I was wrong. It took me 10 months to put the film together. I learned patience, the importance of chai breaks and yog nidra (non-sleep deep rest), thanks to my yogi father.
Making a film back in my hometown was a gift. My community showed up, and how. Some days, working with people who have nothing to do with film really helps, because they’re detached and non-jaded. So everything is new and exciting! Which helped me … it really did. Especially on the days I felt like the alligators got my leg.
The Procrastination Saga
There’s so much more to this story than just filmmaking. Procrastination. I have a PhD in it. I avoided making our film because it was important. I procrastinated, and how. That’s why it’s shocking to me – how is Pinch in a film festival? Wasn’t I cleaning out and organizing every drawer in my closet when I had to sit down and write? Thanks to my co-writer who kept the ship moving, and we got Pinch done. And to my incredible team who just believed in me and saw me riding the alligators and not being eaten by them.
Then, being in India and prepping for the film was another dissertation in procrastination. I would’ve rather played the cupcake game with my nieces than work on the Hindi translation of the film … but somehow we got it done. Also, thanks to my co-Hindi translator, Jyoti ma’am, an amazing Hindi teacher. The cupcake game with my nieces is also a major highlight in my life.
The Community Lifeline
Yes, I was navigating treacherous waters with alligators, but somehow people always showed up as life support – with a tube or life jacket, or sometimes just a shoulder to cry on, or sitting and procrastinating with me. It felt communal. Even the pain, and that truly makes it easier. So even though the process feels lonely, you’re not alone. I sound like a cheesy wannabe motivational indie burnt-out filmmaker, but I’m just leaning into the cheese right now. Vegan cheese, to be specific.
But I just love this scary image of navigating with alligators, fighting for your survival. You don’t know whether you’ll get eaten or not, but you persist. Ellen DeGeneres’s voice as Dory in your head: “Just keep swimming.”
The Dark Days and Golden Elevators
Even in the darkest days, I was lucky to have my best friend, my supportive yet strict father, and an army of amazing friends who were holding on to me in ways they don’t even realize, but I did, and it was more than enough for me to keep going.
Now, again, yes, making a film is hard, but there are other harder things in life. Like fighting for your life, living in a war-torn country, curing cancer, giving birth, dealing with heartbreak – and the list goes on. So in my small way, this swim with alligators was not that big, even though it felt like life or death some days. On those days, I tried to spend more time with my dog, obsessively rewatching videos of my adorable nieces and learning how to cook Indian food from my father over FaceTime. You can call it procrastination, but I call it comfort/refueling and truly being present. This is the L.A. yogi part.
I was waiting for someone – anyone! – to come save me, to take me to the golden elevator, please. Constantly wanting the Duplass brothers or someone from Women in Film or a big producer to be like, “Yes, we see what you’re doing. Jump in the golden elevator – it’s all going to be fine.” I love the Duplass brothers, and I want to go ahead and say it: Mark’s speech is my Tony Robbins seminar. There is no cavalry coming, Mark – you were right.
The Moment of Truth
It was easy getting people to be in front of the camera in my hometown. Movies are our religion, and people love being on screen. That’s why India is one of the biggest film industries in the world. What kept me going was the idea that this film is bigger than me. Always will be.
I was scared and I leaned into the fear, because nobody was forcing me to this. I had made the choice and was standing by it. On one of our busy days, we had a jib for two hours. We had to get this bird’s-eye view shot. It was hot. We needed a crowd. People from my mother’s village were there. I said, “I’m so sorry, we’ll get this shot quickly.” One woman held my hand and said, “We’re here. Don’t worry. Get the shot.”
The End: Swimming to Shore
My community showed up when I showed up with a story I wanted to tell. Even though some days it felt like I was being devoured by the alligators, I realized I still had to persist. Some days I was riding the alligators, and some days … I fought them.
Making Pinch in my hometown of Indore has been nothing short of an honor, and like every film – this film is a miracle itself. It just needed to be birthed. She’s here, and everything I wanted to say and more is in the film. I want the audiences to watch and take what they want to take from it. Whatever heals them, doesn’t heal them – it’s our story.
