Actor Adarsh Gourav has thanked director Ramin Bahrani for “trusting” him with the character of Balram in The White Tiger after earning a nomination in the lead actor category at 2021 BAFTAs.

Adarsh starred as the lead character in Ramin Bahrani’s adaptation of Aravind Adiga’s 2008 award-winning novel, The White Tiger. Besides Gourav, The White Tiger has bagged nomination for Ramin Bahrani in the adapted screenplay category.

Taking to Instagram to share his happiness over the announcement, Adarsh wrote, “Holy shit it’s really happening! Thank you Ramin for trusting me to play the character that has given me more than anything I’ve ever experienced. Congratulations to the team for two BAFTA nominations!! Best adapted screenplay and Leading actor. Congratulations to all the other nominees too!”

The 26-year-old actor is nominated alongside Riz Ahmed (Sound Of Metal), late Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Anthony Hopkins (The Father), Mads Mikkelsen, (Another Round) and Tahar Rahim (The Mauritanian).

Earlier in the evening, actor-producer Priyanka Chopra tweeted she feels a sense of pride to have acted and been an executive producer on The White Tiger, which earned two nominations at the 2021 BAFTAs. Priyanka posted a two-part tweet, calling the development a winning moment for Indian talent as the Netflix film boasts of an all Indian cast. The actor, who was the executive producer on the film along with Ava Duvernay, also heaped praise at Adarsh Gourav, saying he deserved the recognition for his stellar performance.

“What a proud moment for Indian talent with 2 BAFTA nominations for an ALL INDIAN STAR CAST!! Ecstatic for you @_GouravAdarsh, you are so deserving of this recognition, and congratulations #RaminBahrani, so well deserved,” her post read. “I feel extremely proud to have been an executive producer on this movie! Let’s get it!!” Priyanka Chopra tweeted.

What a proud moment for Indian talent with 2 BAFTA nominations for an ALL INDIAN STAR CAST!! Ecstatic for you @_GouravAdarsh, you are so deserving of this recognition, and congratulations #RaminBahrani, so well deserved.

(1/2) pic.twitter.com/lKcz678mof

— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) March 9, 2021

Minutes later, The White Tiger producer Mukul Deora expressed his excitement over the nominations. “BAFTAs ahoy! Adarsh Gourav nominated for Best Actor and Ramin Bahrani for Best Adapted Screenplay. Go team Tiger!” Mukul tweeted.

BAFTAs ahoy! Adarsh Gourav nominated for Best Actor and Ramin Bahrani for Best Adapted Screenplay. Go team Tiger! pic.twitter.com/165IRadQFs

— Mukul Deora (@mukuldeora) March 9, 2021

The White Tiger premiered in January and also starred Rajkummar Rao and Mahesh Manjrekar. The film followed the story of Balram (Adarsh Gourav), who rebels against class-based discriminatory behaviour of his employer to become an entrepreneur.