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8 months ago
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It’s a momentous weekend for To Kill a Tiger, the award-winning documentary directed by Nisha Pahuja.
The film about an Indian man’s longshot fight for justice for his daughter debuts on Netflix on Sunday, the very day it competes at the Oscars for Best Documentary Feature. Pahuja began work on To Kill a Tiger almost a decade ago, filming primarily in a small village in India’s Jharkhand state.
“It’s been a long, fascinating 9 year journey with To Kill a Tiger and to be here at this juncture–to announce we’re releasing globally on Netflix on March 10th, Oscar Sunday, we simply couldn’t have asked for anything better,” Pahuja said in a statement. “I’m filled with gratitude for all the partners along the way–our co-Producer the National Film Board of Canada, our Canadian Broadcasters TVO and the Knowledge Network, and our supporters Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group of Funds. We’d not be here without them or without the support of an extraordinary group of Executive Producers. All of us who have made this film could not be happier than to be showcasing this epic labor of love and the story of Ranjit and his family on Netflix.”
Those executive producers include actors Dev Patel, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Mindy Kaling, Canadian poet Rupi Kaur, and surgeon and bestselling author Dr. Atul Gawande.
“I’m beyond thrilled for Nisha and the creative team behind this powerful piece of cinema and the group of women who worked relentlessly to get this film out into the world,” Patel said. “I had a visceral reaction to To Kill a Tiger when I first saw it and there was simply no question that I had to get involved to make sure audiences and the industry took note. The world is in for something truly remarkable in this gripping story of resilience and love. We’re honored that Netflix agrees. It’s the perfect home.”
To Kill a Tiger has won more than two dozen awards around the world, including three Canadian Screen Awards, the Amplify Voices Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Best Documentary at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. It won two awards from the Directors Guild of Canada, including Best Director for Pahuja. The film tells the story of Ranjit, a poor farmer, whose 13-year-old daughter Kiran became the victim of a brutal sexual assault. Villagers demanded that Ranjit and his wife Jiganti absolve the young men accused of the crime and marry off their daughter to one of her attackers, but they refused.
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“I am immensely proud to back the team behind this project,” Chopra Jonas said in a statement. “As an artist and filmmaker, it’s a privilege to utilize the power of cinema to bring attention to stories like To Kill A Tiger. While this particular story originates from India, it reflects a universal issue—sexual violence is a daily occurrence globally, yet it remains largely unreported. I am eager for global audiences to uncover our story on Netflix, and my hope is that it will shift people’s perspectives, spark introspection, provoke dialogue, and lead to action.”
Kaling said, “I’m so pleased that the world will be able to see this film on Netflix. Once you witness this beautiful story of one family’s resilience and strength, you won’t be the same. I loved this film, and you will too.”
Kaur, an author, illustrator, and photographer who was born in India and raised in Canada, commented, “I’m so honored to be a part of this transformative documentary, which has already created fundamental change in the world. Kiran and Ranjit’s story has struck a chord with me since I first heard it — how, during the most terrifying circumstance in her life, Kiran, at such a young age, chose to fight for justice against her perpetrators, and how her father, Ranjit, fought for her every step of the way. As a survivor myself, it moves me to see that their brave journey is being recognized on a global stage through this Oscar nomination and Netflix premiere. I’m excited to see this film create even more transformative change for survivors of sexual assault.”
To Kill a Tiger is a production of Notice Pictures Inc, in co-production with the National Film Board of Canada. The film was produced by Cornelia Principe, Notice Pictures Inc’s Nisha Pahuja, and the NFB’s David Oppenheim.
Ranjit and Kiran were able to travel to London for a screening of the film. Pahuja and her team have been attempting to secure visas for the family to attend the Oscars. This is the first Oscar nomination for Pahuja, the Toronto-based filmmaker who was born in India and raised in Canada. Her credits include the Emmy nominated 2014 documentary feature The World Before Her, docuseries Diamond Road (2007), and 2002 documentary feature Bollywood Bound.
