'Tiger' producer Roy Conli: Priyanka Chopra is an amazing actress; she brings a certain authenticity to India - Exclusive

Hollywood producer, Roy Conli, who has been the driving force behind some of the most significant productions from the animated classics 'Tangled' to the blockbuster 'Frozen', is returning with another impactful wildlife documentary - 'Tiger'. In an exclusive interview with ETimes, Roy shares his insights into what makes "Tiger" stand out among his illustrious portfolio.Additionally, Conli discusses the casting process, particularly the selection of Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and sheds light on whether the actress' previous work in 'The Jungle Book' influenced her selection for 'Tiger'. Furthermore, he shares his take on the importance of preserving India's rich storytelling traditions and the potential for future projects that celebrate the country's rich wildlife heritage. Excerpts:
You've been a driving force behind some of Hollywood's most significant productions, particularly in animation and numerous impactful wildlife and nature documentaries. You've made 'Penguins', 'Elephants', and now 'Tigers'. What is it about this latest film that makes it particularly special to you, and is there a series you are aiming to complete?
It's interesting because I had the good fortune of getting involved with Disney Nature in 2015 and it has been a complete joy that is part of the legacy of the Walt Disney Company to do these types of films. They asked me 'What film would you be interested in doing?' and I did a little straw pull at the animation studio and it turned out that people love tigers above all other animals. I was an elephant guy up until this film and now just watching the beauty and the sentience of these amazing animals has made me a big tiger fan. In terms of the series, I think I would like to get out to the world as many different animals as possible so that people understand the beauty and importance of our fellow creatures on this planet.

Whether it is Mandy Moore in 'Entangled 'or Scott Adsit as 'Baymax' or even Megan Markle in 'Elephants', what is it that directors and producers look out for when casting voice actors? How did Priyanka Chopra fit the bill?
Well certainly Priyanka brings a certain authenticity to India and I think it was really important to get the flavour of India. The wonderful thing about Priyanka is she's an amazing actress and really knows how to narrate. It's very difficult for actors sometimes to narrate because you have to kind of really understand the language in a way that's quite different than acting and she took to it immediately. She was terrific and I do think that her performance in this film is spectacular.
Was Priyanka's dubbing for Kaa in The Jungle Book in any way her audition tape for this movie?
No (laughs), not at all! It's so funny because we thought of her immediately. Being in animation, I'm always very cognizant of voice and I'm one of those few people who can identify who the actor is in commercials. In Priyanka's case, I knew that she had a beautiful voice and we needed someone of her stature because the tiger is such an amazing animal. Priyanka also loves tigers and she's actually adopted two.
Indian documentaries like 'Elephant Whisperers' and 'To Kill A Tiger' have been receiving acclaim for their deeply rooted narratives in the native language. Was recording 'Tiger' in Hindi ever considered?
I would love to have seen a Hindi version of this film, but unfortunately, we weren't able to pull that together in time. The fables and the literary elements that India brings to the forest are so important. Hopefully, with this performance, we will be able to touch people's hearts.
The Disneynature documentary 'Tiger' features Priyanka Chopra as the narrator of the story of Ambar, a young tigress raising her cubs in the forests of India. The documentary begins streaming on Disney+ Hotstar from April 22, on Earth Day.