Dev Patel & Mindy Kaling Board ‘To Kill A Tiger’ Documentary From Filmmaker Nisha Pahuja As EPs

Matt Grobar
·4 min read
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Dev Patel and Mindy Kaling have signed on as exec producers of To Kill a Tiger, an award-winning documentary written and directed by Emmy nominee Nisha Pahuja (The World Before Her), which will hit Film Forum in New York on October 20 before expanding to theaters in other major cities.

Recognized with Best Documentary at the 2023 Palm Springs Film Festival, the film tells the story of Ranjit, a farmer in Jharkhand, India who takes on the fight of his life when he demands justice for his 13-year-old daughter, the victim of a gang rape. An ordinary man thrust into extraordinary circumstances, Ranjit’s love for his daughter forces a social reckoning that will reverberate for years to come.

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Pic also claimed the Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival, along with three Canadian Screen Awards and numerous other accolades. It’s a Notice Pictures production in co-production with The National Film Board of Canada, with the participation of Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group of Funds through the Theatrical Documentary Program.

Made with the assistance of The Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, Ontario Creates, and Rogers Telefund, in association with TVO and Knowledge Network, the doc is produced and exec produced by Notice Pictures Inc’s Nisha Pahuja, Cornelia Principe, and the NFB’s David Oppenheim. Patel exec produced through Minor Realm, alongside Kaling through Kaling International. Additional EPs include AC Films Inc’s Andy Cohen, NFB’s Anita Lee, Atul Gawande, Andrew Dragoumis, Minor Realm’s Samarth Sahni, Deepa Mehta, and ShivHans Pictures’ Shivani Rawat.

“Gender equity and justice within India have been central to my work over the past decade. With To Kill a Tiger, I encountered a story that simply had to be told because of the bravery, honesty, and resilience of the family at the heart of it,” stated filmmaker Pahuja. “I’m grateful for Mindy and Dev’s belief in this film and its capacity to empower and serve as a catalyst for change, while building on the work of many activists and organizations. Our mission is to ensure this family and these issues are given the platform they deserve.”

Kaling said that she feels “so lucky to be part of this remarkable film by the gifted filmmaker, Nisha Pahuja. The story is heart-wrenching but triumphant, and stays with you long after you’ve seen it. To Kill A Tiger shows you not only the power of a father’s love but the strength of a young woman who faced the unimaginable, and chose to fight.”

Patel added that he “had a visceral reaction whilst watching Nisha Pahuja’s tender and powerful story of a father’s love, and his determination to support his teenage daughter’s quest for justice. In a culture where submission is commonplace, to challenge a centuries old system that has silenced the voices of victims is revolutionary. Despite threats against the family and being ostracized in their community, they remained unflinching in their resolve.

“A David and Goliath story to the highest extent, To Kill a Tiger is not only a rallying cry to dismantle the patriarchal system, but also an inspiring anthem about the unwavering courage, resilience and undeniable power of women,” Patel continued. “In my opinion, this film is one of the most important in modern Indian history.”

Best known for starring in Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning phenomenon Slumdog Millionaire and Garth Davis’ Lion, which brought him his own first nom from AMPAS, Patel’s most recent credits include David Lowery’s acclaimed fantasy The Green Knight for A24 and Armando Iannucci’s The Personal History of David Copperfield. Upcoming projects for him include Wes Anderson’s Roald Dahl adaptation The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and his directorial debut Monkey Man, both for Netflix. Patel is repped by by CAA, Sol22, Curtis Brown Group and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols.

The co-creator and EP of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever, which wrapped up its fourth and final season in June, as well as Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls, which was renewed for a third go-round last year, Kaling received both the National Medal of Arts and the PGA’s Norman Lear Award for Achievement in Television earlier this year. She additionally exec produces and stars in Max’s Velma, and is repped by CAA, 3 Arts Entertainment and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.

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