Ex-boxer Mike Tyson to make Bollywood film debut

MUMBAI • Legendary American boxer Mike Tyson is making his debut in Bollywood, featuring in upcoming Indian sports action film Liger.

The participation of the former professional boxer, known as "the baddest man on the planet", was announced in a tweet on Monday by Mr Karan Johar, one of the film's producers.

The film also stars Indian actor Vijay Deverakonda, who plays a kickboxer with a stutter.

"For the first time ever, the king of the ring will be seen on the big screens of Indian cinema," Mr Johar said in the tweet, which was accompanied by a video showing Tyson, 55, facing Deverakonda, 32.

Tyson's previous appearances in film include playing a fictional version of himself in Hollywood films The Hangover (2009) and its sequel The Hangover Part II (2011).

He also played a rogue property developer in Hong Kong martial arts film Ip Man 3 (2015).

Liger was originally due to be released on Sept 9, but was delayed as cinemas in Maharashtra, home to India's financial capital and Bollywood, stayed shut following a devastating new wave of the coronavirus.

The news of Tyson's inclusion follows an announcement of the reopening of theatres after Oct 22, in time for Deepavali, one of India's largest festivals.

It boosted shares of top cinema operators on Monday by the most since March last year - when India first entered lockdown - as the industry counts on the state for roughly 30 per cent to 50 per cent of a mainstream Hindi film's theatrical earnings.

BLOOMBERG