Actor Prateik Patil Babbar is set to play a British-Sikh man in the upcoming film Lioness, touted as the first-ever UK-India co-production, that follows the life of Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, the granddaughter of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

According to the makers of the film, Sophia Duleep Singh was among the key leaders of the UK’s suffragette movement and a tireless advocate for the rights of women and children.

“It is an honour for me to be part of a film that celebrates the legacy of the granddaughter of our Sher-e-Punjab - Maharaja Ranjit Singh. I will be playing the role of Rajdeep Singh, a British Sikh living in the 1990s in Southhall. The character has given me a chance to understand and get closer to my Punjabi heritage. It is a huge responsibility,” Prateik said during his visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Monday. \

Lioness also stars Aditi Rao Hydari and British actress Paige Sandhu. Paige Sandhu plays the role of Princess Sophia in the film. Aditi’s character, an educated, married immigrant by the name of Mehak Kaur in Southall, unearths the Princess’s fascinating story which was lost in history.

Certified by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the British Film Institute (BFI), Lioness is the first-ever official UK-India co-production being made under the bilateral treaty signed by the two countries in 2008. Written and directed by Kajri Babbar, the film was launched at the Cannes Film Festival last month.

Lioness is currently in pre-production and is slated to start shooting by the end of this year in London.