Mike Tyson to star in Bollywood film Liger

Virgin Radio

5 Nov 2021, 12:46

Credit: Getty

We’ve seen Mike Tyson in a few films, most notably playing himself in The Hangover and in 2006’s Rocky Balboa, and now the boxer is set to make his Bollywood debut.

It was recently announced that the boxing star will appear in a movie called Liger, and now fans have been given a look at a new poster.

Liger, which will star Indian actor Vijay Deverakonda, is a sports drama following the story of a kickboxer who suffers from a stutter. It’s not known exactly what role Mike Tyson, who has a speech impediment himself, will play in the drama, but the 55-year-old’s appearance is being described (via The Sun) as “a cameo role”.

The film is directed by Puri Jagannadh, and also stars Ananya Panday and Ramya Krishna. It is being shot in Telugu and Hindi, but it is expected to be dubbed and released in various other languages.

The poster of Mike Tyson was shared on Twitter to coincide with Diwali on Thursday, 4th November. Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists.

The poster shows the boxer punching through the air, with flames coming off his hand. The wording reads: “Happy Diwali.” The poster’s caption on Twitter says: “The legend @MikeTyson is ready to celebrate this #Diwali with a few punches.”

The movie was due for release in September but, as with so many productions, has had to be put back due to the disruption caused by the global pandemic. It is expected to be released next year, although no concrete date has been announced at this stage.

Lead actor Vijay Deverakonda shared a different poster with his 13.5 million Instagram followers earlier this year, showing half of his face and half of Tyson’s.

In another post, the actor wrote: “We promised you Madness! We are just getting started. For the first time on Indian Screens. Joining our mass spectacle – #LIGER. The Baddest Man on the Planet. The God of Boxing. The Legend, the Beast, the Greatest of all Time! IRON MIKE TYSON. #Namaste TYSON.”