Los Angeles – Dev Patel and Mindy Kaling have signed on as Executive Producers of the award-winning documentary To Kill a Tiger, a Notice Pictures production in co-production with the National Film Board of Canada. The film was recognized with the Amplify Voices Award for “Best Canadian Feature Film” at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. To Kill a Tiger chronicles 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.
Directed and written by award-winning filmmaker, Nisha Pahuja (The World Before Her), the film charts the emotional journey of an ordinary man facing extraordinary circumstances. A father whose love for his daughter forces a social reckoning that will reverberate for years to come.
“Gender equity and justice within India have been central to my work over the past decade,” comments Pahuja. “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. 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.”
To Kill a Tiger Has Won 19 Awards
To Kill a Tiger has amassed 19 awards including three Canadian Screen Awards and “Best Documentary” at the 2023 Palm Springs International Film Festival. The film will be released theatrically on October 20, 2023 at Film Forum in New York and will continue to expand to major cities.
“I feel 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,” said Kaling.
Patel adds, “I 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. In my opinion, this film is one of the most important in modern Indian history.”
Minor Realm was founded in 2021 with a mission to nurture and develop voices and talent that too often are unrecognized in the creative landscape of commercial storytelling.
Kaling International was founded in 2012 with the goal of telling stories about the inner lives of women of color that have long been missing from television.
Nisha Pahuja is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker on behalf of her work for 2012’s, The World Before Her, which also garnered her wins for Best Documentary Feature, Jury Award Winner at the Tribeca Film Festival, Best Canadian Documentary at Hot Docs, Toronto International Film Festival’s Canada’s Top Ten, Best Documentary nominee for Canadian Screen Awards, and Sundance Film Forward Program 2014. Her credits also include the series Diamond Road (2008 Gemini Award for Best Documentary Series) and Bollywood Bound (2002 Gemini Award nominee).
To Kill a Tiger is produced and executive produced by Notice Pictures Inc’s, Nisha Pahuja, Cornelia Principe and, the NFB’s David Oppenheim. The film is executive produced by 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 alongside Academy and Emmy Award nominee Dev Patel through his production company Minor Realm and Emmy Award nominee Mindy Kaling through her production company Kaling International. Patel is repped by CAA, Sol22, Curtis Brown, Shelter PR and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman & Clark. Kaling is repped by CAA, 3Arts, Lede and JSSK.
Executive Producer Mindy Kaling Biography
Mindy Kaling is an Emmy-nominated writer, producer, New York Times best-selling author, actor, and Tony award winner. In 2023, Kaling was awarded the National Medal of Arts by the White House, the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the federal government. In February 2023, Kaling received the Producers Guild of America’s prestigious Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television. In 2022, Kaling International was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies. Kaling was named as one of TIME100’s Most Influential People in the World List in 2012.
Executive Producer Dev Patel Biography
Academy Award and Primetime Emmy Award nominee and BAFTA Award winner Dev Patel, catapulted to success in 2008 when he starred in the Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire directed by Danny Boyle. Oscar nominated for his role in Garth Davis’ Lion, Patel took home the BAFTA Award for “Best Supporting Actor” along with numerous accolades. Most recent credits include The Green Knight for director David Lowery and The Personal History of David Copperfield. He will next be seen in Wes Anderson’s feature film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar based on the book by Roald Dahl. Patel will make his directorial debut with an original script for which he co-wrote and stars, called Monkey Man, which he produced alongside Thunder Road.
About the National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada’s public producer and distributor of award-winning documentaries, auteur animation, interactive stories and participatory experiences, working with talented creators across the country. The NFB is taking action to combat systemic racism and become a more open and diverse organization, while working to strengthen Indigenous-led production and gender equity in film and digital media. NFB productions have won more than 7,000 awards, including 12 Oscars. To access this unique content, visit NFB.ca.
About AC Films Inc
AC Films Inc’s Andy Cohen is a 3-time Emmy ® nominated independent filmmaker and journalist. Cohen has Directed, Written, Produced and Exec Produced a number of feature-length films including, To Kill a Tiger (2022 Winner of the Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film at TIFF) Ai Weiwei’s Human Flow (2017, short-listed Academy Award ® for Best Documentary), Hooligan Sparrow (2016, short-listed Academy Award ® for Best Documentary), Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (2012, short-listed Academy Award ® for Best Documentary ), and The World Before Her (2012, Winner Best Documentary Feature, Tribeca Film Festival). His credits as writer and director include Ximei, produced by Ai Weiwei (Winner 2019 Movies that Matter Activist Award), Beijing Spring (Winner 2021, Amnesty International / FIFA jury Award), Rough & Polished (2024), and The Village Gate (post production). Crossing over from documentary to fiction, Cohen produced his first narrative feature, Little Death 2023, starring David Schwimmer, directed by Jack Begert, written by Dani Goffstein and Jack Begert, produced alongside Psycho Films and Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures. His work has been screened at festivals worldwide, including the Venice Film Festival, Telluride, Tribeca Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, and Sundance Film Festival among others and broadcast on BBC, UK Ch4, Arte, Netflix and Amazon.
About ShivHans Pictures
ShivHans Pictures, founded by producer Shivani Rawat, is a production and finance company creating unique and compelling feature films, television, and theatre. Across their projects, ShivHans Pictures offers inclusive and engaging storytelling through collaborations with top-tier talent both on screen and behind the camera.
Upcoming films from ShivHans Pictures include Richard Linklater’s Hit Man starring Glenn Powell, Winner, directed by Susanna Fogel, and starring Emilia Jones, Connie Britton and Zach Galifianakis, and Love Me, directed by Sam & Andy and starring Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun. Other projects include Jonathan Hensleigh’s The Ice Road, starring Liam Neeson, and David Oyelowo’s directorial debut The Water Man, in which he also starred. Previous films from ShivHans Pictures include Tara Miele’s Wander Darkly, Aaron Sorkin’s Academy Award-nominated The Trial of the Chicago 7, Dan Fogelman’s Danny Collins, Jay Roach’s Academy Award-nominated Trumbo, Matt Ross’ Academy Award-nominated Captain Fantastic, Brad Anderson’s Beirut, Tom Shadyac’s Brian Banks, and Maya Forbes’ The Polka King. ShivHans also has a first-look film deal with Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA Award-winning actor Dev Patel and his company Minor Realm.
ShivHans Pictures has expanded into distribution with Bleecker Street, co-releasing films including the upcoming Golda with Helen Mirren, plus Hotel Mumbai and Brian Banks. In 2022, ShivHans began producing live theatre with the hit Broadway musical & Juliet, and New York, New York. Both productions received nine nominations at the 2023 Tony Awards.
Production Block
To Kill a Tiger is 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.