'Meryl Streep of our country': Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari makes a TALL CLAIM about Sonakshi Sinha working on System

Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari does not hand out compliments lightly, which makes what she said about Sonakshi Sinha worth paying attention to. The director of Prime Video's upcoming courtroom drama System has called the actor the Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet of India, and explained in detail exactly why Sonakshi was the instinctive, non-negotiable choice for the lead role of Neha, a young lawyer navigating a world where power routinely bends the truth.

System premieres exclusively on Prime Video on May 22 and arrives at a moment when conversations around justice, privilege and institutional authority feel more loaded than usual. Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and produced by Pammi Baweja, Harman Baweja and Smitha Baliga under Baweja Studios, the film also features Jyotika and Ashutosh Gowariker in key roles.

What Ashwiny said about Sonakshi

"Despite coming from a film background and having witnessed both privilege and struggle closely, she is very comfortable with her own skin self, right now. She is genuinely not affected by the noise around her anymore. I often tell her she is the Meryl Streep and the Kate Winslet of our country. When you have seen both sides of life, you start reading people differently. I think that reflects in the kind of choices she makes as an actor. She is naturally empathetic. And I also feel she does not carry her father's legacy as a weight, which says a lot about her clarity," Ashwiny said.

The grey nail paint detail that says everything

"Throughout the film, Sonakshi wears a grey nail paint. I had been thinking for months what would be Sonakshi's nail colour. She is the types to do extensions, then while browsing I found a grey nail paint which was the emotion I wanted. I told Sona to wear it as a kind of character detail, she readily agreed. The reason I wanted her to wear it was because I felt she is someone who would always have dark nail paint. For me, that grey colour was important. It's not black, it's not a pop summery colour, it's not red. Those little things are very important," she added.

What System is actually about

At its core, System is a film about who controls the version of truth that wins in a courtroom and in life. Sonakshi's Neha is the lens through which those uncomfortable questions get examined, backed by a cast and a director who clearly believe the subject deserves more than surface-level treatment. May 22 cannot come fast enough.