I want to be a global actor: Adarsh Gourav on The White Tiger, Extrapolations

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 the sci-fi series Extrapolations in the US was a dream trip.

The actor, who became famous globally for his performance in 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.

“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 the 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 and 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, and 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+.