DIG Women Safety Simala Prasad on headlining The Narmada Story: Public service has always been my first commitment

IPS officer and actor Simala Prasad, currently serving as Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Women Safety, is returning to the big screen with The Narmada Story, her third film. Inspired by real events, the crime drama follows investigating officer Narmada Raikwar as she investigates cases involving missing girls. The project holds particular significance for Simala, whose years in policing and work on issues concerning women and children closely mirror the emotional and social realities explored in the film. The officer, who cleared the UPSC examination in her first attempt with All India Rank 51 while serving as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), views the project as an extension of the values she has upheld through her years in public service. ‘Public service has always been my first commitment’Balancing active police service with a lead role in a feature film required planning, but Simala maintains there was never any conflict between the two roles. She says, “There was never a question of choosing between my responsibility as an IPS officer and my role in The Narmada Story. Public service has always been my first commitment. The film became an extension of the values I have believed in throughout my career: justice, courage and the strength of ordinary people.” She adds, “Balancing both certainly required discipline and careful planning. Most of the shooting schedules were organised around my official responsibilities. Being an IPS officer has taught me the importance of time management. In policing, you learn to make every hour count. The same principle helped me during the film.” ‘I was drawing from realities I have witnessed firsthand’The overlap between her profession and the character also helped shape her performance. She shares, “My experience in the police service helped me bring authenticity to the character. The character I portray is driven by conviction, resilience and a commitment to justice, qualities I witness every day in uniform. I was not stepping into an unfamiliar world; I was bringing real experiences and emotions to the screen.” Revisiting situations similar to those she has encountered professionally, however, was emotionally demanding. She says, “It was emotionally challenging because the subject is not fictional for me. Throughout my service, I have met families waiting for answers and young girls whose lives were profoundly affected by crime. Those experiences stay with you. While working on the film, I was not simply portraying emotions. I was drawing from realities I have witnessed firsthand. That made the journey deeply personal, but it also reinforced why such stories need to be told with sensitivity and responsibility.” The officer also hopes the quieter realities of policing come through in the film. She says, “People often see police officers only during moments of action. What they do not always see is the responsibility, emotional resilience and constant balancing that comes with the job. Real policing is not always dramatic. It is persistence, patience, attention to detail and the willingness to keep going despite setbacks.” ‘Behind every case is a family living in uncertainty’What drew Simala to The Narmada Story was not merely the investigative aspect but the human realities embedded within it. She shares, “What drew me to The Narmada Story was not just the investigation but the human story at its core. During my years in public service, I have seen how every case involving a missing girl is much more than a file or statistic. Behind every case is a family living in uncertainty, a young life at risk and a society that often fails to understand the vulnerabilities that lead to such situations.” Having worked closely on issues concerning missing children and crimes against women, the story struck a deeply personal chord with her. She says, “I have seen both the pain of families searching for their daughters and the determination of investigators working tirelessly to bring them back. Those experiences stayed with me throughout my career.”What also appealed to her was the film’s treatment of the subject. She says, “It does not treat the issue merely as a crime thriller. It explores questions of justice, dignity, courage and the value of every human life. Behind every investigation are real emotions, struggles and people whose futures are at stake.” ‘People did not see it as an officer becoming an actor’Taking on a lead role while actively serving in the police force naturally sparked curiosity, but Simala recalls receiving strong support from the fraternity. She says, “I have been fortunate to receive tremendous encouragement and goodwill from my seniors, colleagues and the police fraternity throughout this journey. My colleagues often saw it as an extension of the same mission we pursue in uniform: connecting with society, creating awareness and inspiring positive change. Many of them were excited to see stories from our heartland and institutions reaching a wider audience through cinema.” What stayed with her most was how people viewed the transition. She says, “Naturally, many people were curious in the beginning. It is not every day that an IPS officer takes on a lead role in a feature film. What I appreciated most was that people did not see it as an officer becoming an actor. They saw it as someone using another medium to tell a meaningful story.” For Simala, the purpose remains unchanged. She says, “The uniform remains my identity and responsibility. The film is a creative endeavour, but the values it represents are the same values I have tried to uphold throughout my service.” ‘A story can sometimes make people understand what facts alone cannot’Beyond the investigation, Simala hopes the film initiates conversations around women’s safety and collective responsibility. She says, “Women’s safety is not only a law-enforcement issue; it is a societal responsibility. I would like young women to feel more aware, confident and empowered to seek help when needed, and families to build greater trust and communication.” She believes cinema can often achieve what reports and statistics cannot. She shares, “Cinema has the power to take important social issues beyond reports, statistics and official discussions and bring them into public consciousness in an emotional and relatable way. A story can sometimes make people understand what facts alone cannot. If the film encourages greater awareness, sensitivity and concern for the safety and dignity of young girls, then it will have achieved something truly meaningful.”