Justice for His Daughter: Dev Patel and Mindy Kaling Turn Executive Producers of Documentary ‘To Kill a Tiger’
- Written and directed by the Indo-Canadian filmmaker Nisha Pahuja’s, the film tells the story of a farmer in Jharkhand in 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.
Dev Patel and Mindy Kaling will executive produce Nisha Pahuja’s award-winning documentary “To Kill a Tiger.” The film will launch at Film Forum in New York on October 20 “before expanding to theaters in other major cities,” Deadline reported.
Written and director by the Indo-Canadian filmmaker, “To Kill a Tiger” tells the story 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, according to a synopsis of the film. “An ordinary man thrust into extraordinary circumstances, Ranjit’s love for his daughter forces a social reckoning that will reverberate for years to come.”
Pahuja told Deadline that with this documentary she “encountered a story that simply had to be told because of the bravery, honesty, and resilience of the family at the heart of it.” Expressing her gratitude to Kaling and Patel, she is said she’s also grateful for the documentary’s “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” tells the story 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.
“To Kill a Tiger” won the best documentary award at the 2023 Palm Springs Film Festival. It also received the Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival, along with three Canadian Screen Awards and numerous other accolades.
Kaling and Patel spoke to Deadline about the documentary. Kaling said that she feels “so lucky to be part of this remarkable film with a heart-wrenching but triumphant story by a gifted filmmaker.” She said the film 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.
Describing it as “a David and Goliath story to the highest extent,” Patel said he “had a visceral reaction whilst watching Pahuja’s tender and powerful story of a father’s love, and his determination to support his teenage daughter’s quest for justice.” He called it “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 his opinion, “this film is one of the most important in modern Indian history.”
“To Kill a Tiger” is 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. It is produced and exec produced by Pahuja, Patel, Kaling, Cornelia Principe, and David Oppenheim. Additional executive producers include Andy Cohen, Anita Lee, Atul Gawande, Andrew Dragoumis, Samarth Sahni, Deepa Mehta, and Shivani Rawat.