ROAR OF THE TIGER

ADARSH GOURAV SPEAKS TO VEDANSHI PATHAK ABOUT BAGGING A BAFTA NOMINATION FOR HIS PERFORMANCE IN THE WHITE TIGER, WHICH ALSO HAD AN OSCAR NOMINATION IN THE BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY CATEGORY

- VEDANSHI PATHAK

Life has peaked for Adarsh Gourav in a big way post the release of his Netflix film The White Tiger. Directed by Ramin Bahrani, the film also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Rajkummar Rao in crucial roles. Adarsh’s performance as the protagonist Balram Halwai, who fights societal norms to rise from being a lowly driver to being a multimillionaire entrepreneur is spot on. The film offers a critique on how the Indian society is still stuck in the morass of caste and religious divide and states that we need to come out of it pronto if we ever want to become a first world nation. Till then, the only way up for the marginalised is to use whatever comes their way to claw ahead, even if these opportunities are amoral in nature. It’s a powerhouse performance that ranged from him being a submissive mouse to being transformed into a hungry tiger unafraid to use his fangs. It’s no wonder that Adarsh was nominated in the Best Actor category by the British Academy of Films and Television Arts (BAFTA). Though he eventually lost out to Sir Anthony Hopkins (The Father), it was still a proud moment for India that he got nominated. The White Tiger was also nominated at the Oscars in the Best Adapted Screenplay category and Adarsh is excited about that as well. We chat with the actor about the global recognition coming his way and how that’s changing his life and career choices.

YOU MUST BE OVER THE MOON BEING NOMINATED ALONGSIDE NAMES LIKE ANTHONY HOPKINS, CHADWICK BOSEMAN AND MADS MIKKELSEN FOR THE BAFTA?