Mike Tyson is set to make his Bollywood debut in upcoming Indian sports action film

Film that narrates story of a mixed martial artist will feature Tyson in a ‘significant and mighty role’

(Getty Images)

Mike Tyson is set to make his Bollywood debut in the upcoming Indian sports action film Liger.

The news was revealed by producer Karan Johar on Twitter. He wrote: “For the first time ever, the king of the ring will be seen on the big screens of Indian cinema! Welcoming @MikeTyson to the #Liger team!”

According to local media, Liger is a boxing-based film in which Indian actor Vijay Deverakonda will play the lead role of a kickboxer.

The Independent has reached out to Tyson’s representatives for comments.

The film was originally due to be released on 9 September but was delayed as the cinemas in the state of Maharashtra remained shut after the second wave of Covid-19.

No details about Tyson’s role in the film have been released yet, but a statement says that Tyson will play “a significant and mighty role”.

Liger is currently being filmed in Goa and stars Bollywood actor Ananya Pandey as the female lead.

The film is being made in languages Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam.

Tyson has appeared in a number of films before, most famously playing a version of himself in The Hangover.

He will be portrayed by Jamie Foxx in the forthcoming TV series Tyson, with the Django Unchained star saying that he was excited to use the film to show the “evolution” of Tyson, who served three years in prison for rape in 1992 and nine months for assaulting two motorists in 1999.

“We want to show how everybody evolves, everybody comes from a good or bad place,” he said. “When we add the layers on Mike Tyson and his journey, everybody – young and old – will be able to understand this man’s journey.”