Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ is tackling a beloved Indian novel in a new film for Netflix.
The White Tiger is based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Aravind Adiga and sees Chopra Jonas play Pinky Madam, a first-generation immigrant in the United States.
Starring alongside her is Rajkummar Rao, who will play her husband Ashok, as they travel to India together.
In an Instagram post earlier this month, Chopra Jonas shared the synopsis to the film.
“This is a story about a family and the plight of one man — Balram Halwai played by Adarsh Gourav, one of the most talented newcomers I’ve ever worked with, and one of the most remarkable performances I’ve seen in a long time. Balram’s rise from a poor villager to successful entrepreneur in modern India showcases how hunger and the lack of opportunity can build and drive a human being’s animal instinct of survival.”
As for the man who plays her husband in the film, Rao, to Chopra Jonas, he’s “already one of the most prolific actors in India” who will “showcase depths very few can”.
“The film is powerful. It will make you uncomfortable, and most importantly it will entertain you.”
The White Tiger is helmed by Ramin Bahrani who directed Fahrenheit 451 and At Any Price, among others.
The original novel won the author the Booker prize in 2008 for his portrayal of India as a society racked by corruption and servitude.
In an interview with The Guardian, writer Adiga said it was “important” that writers such as himself “highlight the brutal injustices of society”.
“That’s what writers like Flaubert, Balzac and Dickens did in the 19th century and, as a result, England and France are better societies. That’s what I’m trying to do — it’s not an attack on the country, it’s about the greater process of self-examination,” he said.
The White Tiger will premiere on Netflix in 2021.