Mickey Rourke starrer 'Tiger' is a tale of racism, boxing and a young man's struggle to fully accept himself
Once or twice in your lifetime, you will be faced with a huge choice that will define who you are in the days to come. ‘Tiger’, directed by Alister Grierson, is a movie that focuses on one such moment from a young Indian immigrant’s life. Inspired by the real-life story of Canadian boxing champion Pardeep Nagra, ‘Tiger’ narrates the story of an Indian-origin Sikh boxer who was refused the opportunity to box because of his beard.
At the crux of it, it is a story about justice and standing up for what is right, but there are so many themes that this ambitious movie addresses – racism being the biggest one of them. The star of the movie and one half of the writing duo, Prem Singh, is no stranger to subtle, everyday racism. In fact, it is his desire to create a niche role for himself that stands out from the stereotypical Appu from 'The Simpsons’ roles that led him and his best friend Michael Pugliese to make this film.
It is the brotherhood he felt towards Pardeep that inspired Prem, but it is Michael’s perseverance to actually get this made that ensured the creation of ‘Tiger.’ You would not believe they are anywhere close to civil if you were to watch the movie, considering they play nemeses. “Me and Prem, you know, we are brothers. We are very, very close and being hateful [towards each other] on screen was really fun,” Michael tells Meaww.
