We recently spoke with award winning storyteller Agam Darshi about her feature directorial debut Donkeyhead, which Agam stars in, produced, wrote and directed. The film premiered January 21st on Netflix, and is being distributed by Ava DuVernay and her banner Array. Donkeyhead follows Mona (Agam Darshi), a troubled, reckless writer who moves back into her traditional Sikh family home, staying for seven years caring for her cancer- stricken father. When his health takes a turn for the worse, her three successful siblings return home to take care of the situation, quickly unraveling Mona as she’s forced to face her questionable life choices and quirky family dynamics.

Donkeyhead also stars Kim Coates (Son’s of Anarchy), Sandy Sidhu (Nurses), Stephen Lobo (Nancy Drew, Snow Piercer) and Husein Mandhavji (Shitt’s Creek), was executive produced by Deepa Mehta and funded by Telefilm Canada.

Check out our convesation with Agam below.

When did you decide that storytelling and acting was something you wanted to do? 

Agam Darshi (AD): I’ve always been a storyteller. I was that annoying kid who would force my cousins to perform little shows in front of the family. I have always loved making people laugh, and as I got older, I saw the power of telling stories that made people feel more than they imagined – sadness, anger, and joy. It’s a beautiful thing, and something I love to do.  I was never good at school, and so when I was little the one thing that I knew I could do was ‘act’. And even though I never really thought that was an actual career, it was always a great way of expressing myself, having fun, and connecting to others. I went to university and got a degree in visual arts, but I minored in theater because I loved it. When I left university, my old teacher told me to get an agent, so I thought I would try it just for fun. And then I booked my first audition which was a recurring role on a series. I’ve been acting ever since. 

What can you tell us about Donkeyhead?

AD: Donkeyhead is a film close to my heart about a South Asian family living in Regina Saskatchewan, which is a small city in the middle of prairies. It revolves around Mona Ghuman who has been caring for her ailing father for the last 7 years, and when his health takes a turn for the worst, her three very successful siblings come home to take care of the ‘situation’. It’s a film about family, about forgiving yourself and each other and taking steps forward in life.  

What advice would you give to people pursuing acting?

AD: I think it’s important to train. To be the best actor you can be. And to create your own work. Write roles for yourself. Make movies. Perform your own plays. There’s a lot of magic in creating your own work, and more and more that’s an avenue that is so important to explore. People are looking for unique voices and perspectives.  

What was your first acting role?

AD: It was a recurring role on a TV show called RenegadePress.Com. I played a young teenager named Hemma. The storyline was that my ‘friend’ liked me, but my character turns out to be gay. Which was a good thing too, because in real life I and the actor who played my ‘friend’ were ten years apart, but on camera, we looked like we were both 15 years old! What do you enjoy the most about acting?I love the feeling of being so connected to your character, that you forget you’re acting. You’re in the scene, you’re thinking and feeling the way the character would. It’s magical.   

Outside of acting, do you have any other interests or passions?

AD: I love traveling! I used to travel a ton before covid. I love the outdoors, and I love to hike. I did Kilimanjaro two years ago and it was such an incredible experience. 

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Donkeyhead is currently streaming on Netflix in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

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