Adarsh Gourav says he's getting ‘best of what’s happening in India and in the West’: The White Tiger put me on the map

Adarsh Gourav says The White Tiger put him on the global map. He will now be seen in an episode of Extrapolations, based on climate change.

Strolling around New York streets with a cup of coffee in his hand, visiting the iconic Central Park and just soaking up life on the go, The White Tiger star Adarsh Gourav says shooting for sci-fi series Extrapolations in the US was a dream trip. The actor, who became famous globally for his performance in the Ramin Bahrani’s 2021 film adaptation of the Aravind Adiga novel of the same name, hopes the critical acclaim of the movie and now his role in the Apple TV climate change series will help him find good roles in India as well as the West.

Adarsh Gourav shot to fame with The White Tiger.

“The White Tiger really put me on the map. I feel like I am getting the best of both worlds. Best of what’s happening in India and what’s happening in the West. I am just hoping to capitalise and make the most of my opportunities right now because I want to be a citizen of the world. I want to be a global actor,” Gourav told PTI in an interview.

The Bafta-nominated actor, who now has representation in both the US and UK, recalls how he could not promote or join the awards campaign of The White Tiger due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “I attended Baftas from my living room and the Oscars from my living room,” he added. But that has not dampened Gourav’s determination to find his place in the global acting community. “I know in my gut that I will be travelling a lot with my work. It will happen,” he said.

The White Tiger helped him land the lead role in Extrapolations, a starry series by Scott Z. Burns of the Contagion and An Inconvenient Truth fame that meditates on what life would be in the future if climate concerns are not addressed urgently. After spending around 15-20 days shooting in New York for Extrapolations, Gourav stayed back at Bahrani’s house to explore the city, something he could not do earlier due to the pandemic.

“I lived with Ramin for 10 days, ate lots of good food. Went to museums, went to Central Park and all the other parks that were around Brooklyn. Williamsburg was my favourite place, (there were) lots of chilled out pubs, bars, thrift stores.

“Even if you are walking on the streets with just a cup of coffee, it is such a delightful place to be around. Like Mumbai is the melting pot of India, New York is the melting pot of the world in that sense… It is just fun to sit around on a park bench and look around,” he said.

Gourav stars in the fifth episode 2059 Part II: Nightbirds of Extrapolations. The episode is streaming on Apple TV. The actor plays a driver in Mumbai of 2059 where clean air has become precious and monetised. His character is given the responsibility to transport a high-stakes cargo with another companion.

Extrapolations made its global premiere on March 17, 2023, followed by one new episode every Friday through April 21, 2023. It also has the likes of Meryl Streep, David Schwimmer, Kit Harington, Matthew Rhys, Heather Graham, Sienna Miller, Edward Norton, Michael Gandolfini, Indira Varma, Diane Lane, Keri Russell, Gemma Chan, Marion Cotillard and Forest Whitaker as part of the ensemble.

Be it starring in a sci-fi show full of action and adventure or visiting America and shooting there, Gourav said the show ticked all the boxes for him. “When I was offered the part, I was not aware of the other cast members so that was a huge icing on the cake for me. It is insane that all these people agreed to be a part of the show,” he said referring to the A-list cast.

The episode starring Gourav is directed by Richie Mehta of Delhi Crime fame, a filmmaker, the actor said, he was keen to collaborate with after seeing his work in the International Emmy-winning series. “He saw Extrapolations as a simple human story of two people who are forced by circumstances to be together on a mission. He wanted it to be a simple human story that signified something greater and complex stories are his speciality,” the actor said of Mehta.

Gourav credits Bahrani for helping him land an agent in the US, a crucial step in helping actors land roles. The director’s former agent, George Freeman, saw a screener of The White Tiger before its release and asked whether the actor would want to be represented by him. Gourav instantly agreed.

Gourav hopes people get to watch his episode of Extrapolations in India. He next features in the Netflix series Guns and Gulaabs and Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, produced by Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby. “(They are) very different projects in terms of makers, actors and the vision. (This is an) exciting year for me. I am curious to see what happens with all of them,” he said.