From Mr. India, Mr. Punjab & Mr. Asia in Bodybuilding to 8 Films Next Year - Actor-Model Tiger Harmeek Singh on why modelling is grooming but acting is worship, and why ‘Tiger’ is not just a name but an emotion.
Tiger Harmeek Singh
Actor, Model and
Former champion bodybuilder
Tiger Harmeek Singh is an actor, model and former champion bodybuilder whose journey is about both power and performance.
A winner of Mr. India, Mr. Punjab and Mr. Asia in bodybuilding and powerlifting, Tiger has dominated the gym stage with sheer physical discipline since childhood. He later trained as an actor at the prestigious Barry John Acting School, transitioning from flexing muscles to flexing emotions.
Before films, he made his mark as a professional model, walking the ramp for top brands like Siyaram, Gwalior Suitings, Bollywood Fox and NIFD, which he calls his grooming ground.
With almost 8 films releasing next year in both positive and negative lead roles, Tiger is now set for a big leap in cinema.
The name ‘Tiger’ itself is an emotion - lovingly given by his late father and now affectionately carried forward by his wife Manni Boparai.
You won Mr. India, Mr. Punjab, and Mr. Asia in bodybuilding and powerlifting, and then you trained at Barry John Acting School. How different was the gym stage from the acting stage for you?
On the gym stage, I won Mr. India, Mr. Punjab, Mr. Asia in bodybuilding and powerlifting. There, you have to show power, control and stiffness. Every muscle has to be locked, every pose has to be perfect and strong. It’s all about physical discipline. I gave 100% to fitness since my childhood for that.
But when I went to Barry John Acting School, I learned that acting is the opposite. On the acting stage, stiffness is your biggest enemy. Acting needs fluidity, softness, and emotions to flow freely through your body. On stage, you don’t flex your muscles, you flex your emotions.
So for me, the gym stage made me strong, but the acting stage made me alive. Bodybuilding was about building my body, acting is about breaking my boundaries.
Tiger You have almost 8 films releasing next year, featuring both positive and negative lead roles. Which type of role do you find more satisfying as an actor?
For me, every role I do is important. I always want to do something where I can explore more as an actor — the role should be prominent. I worship my work.
I enjoy playing negative roles a lot because when I play a negative character, I get to explore a lot of emotions like Raudra Rasa, Adbhuta Rasa, and Veera Rasa.
And when I play a positive role, I enjoy Shringara Rasa, Hasya Rasa, Karuna Rasa, and many more Rasas. In fact, I get to play a combination of many Rasas in both types of roles.
Tiger, You’ve worked across three platforms — Films, Television, and Series OTT. How different is the working style in each, and how do you adapt yourself to all three?
I have worked in movies like Badnaam, Son of Shada, Kabootarbaaz 2, Dhoond, Haveli 1939, Punjab Na Bhuliyo, Sukke Authru, Nawan Punjab, and Barsaat Ki Raat. Working in films gives you time to go through the script. You get enough time to study the story and your character before you start shooting. You also get to meet your whole team, which helps build better chemistry.
I have also worked in TV serials like Udaariyaan on Colors TV, Junooniyatt, and Badal Pe Paon Hai. TV makes you punctual. You get your scripts on time, and sometimes the script changes even while the camera is rolling. I have learned a lot from serials — it has made me quicker, and my dialogue delivery has become much faster and better.
Then I worked in an OTT series like Lovely Lola with Gauahar Khan and Isha Malviya. A web series is a combination of both film and serial — it is shot like a film but presented in episodes like a serial. So it is a beautifully designed format. But i enjoy all three.
You have done ramp shows for Siyaram, Gwalior Suitings, Bollywood Fox, and NIFD. Does being a model-turned-actor make someone less likely to be taken seriously in the film industry?
Of course , I believe it is important to understand that modelling and acting are two completely different professions. I have seen many people enter modelling because they believe it is automatically a pathway to becoming an actor. But that is not necessarily true. Modelling can provide valuable exposure, confidence, and professional experience, I took modeling as my grooming like style , how I display myself but ultimately, an actor has to prove themselves through acting.
For me, the difference is very clear. I did the ramp shows and modelling professionally, including work with Siyaram, Gwalior Suitings, Bollywood Fox and NIFD, but my long-term ambition was always acting. The ramp was never the goal itself; acting was always the destination.
So I don’t believe a modelling background should determine how seriously someone is taken as an actor. In the end, it is the quality of your acting, your preparation, your dedication, the characters you portray and the work you deliver that establish you as an actor.
Your profile lists you as a Director, Writer, Actor, and Model. Are you planning to direct or write your own film in the near future? And what kind of stories does Tiger Harmeek Singh want to bring to the screen?
Yes, absolutely. I Love and Enjoy Writing …
I see myself as someone who wants to be involved in storytelling from different creative dimensions — as a writer, director and actor. For me, filmmaking is not only about being in front of the camera; it is also about having a story to tell and knowing how you want that story to reach the audience.
One of the stories very close to me is “Punjab Na Bhuliyo.” It is a social crime thriller with family drama, mystery and action at its core. The story deals with young people from Punjab who dream of going abroad and can become vulnerable to fraudulent immigration networks, exploitation and false promises. But at its heart, it is a story about family, a mother’s fight, loss, hope and the search for justice. I want the audience to feel emotionally connected while also thinking about an issue that affects many Punjabi families.
Then there is “Haveli 1939,” which takes me into a completely different world — horror, mystery and the atmosphere of a historical Punjab setting. With this film, I want to explore how a place can carry secrets from the past and how those secrets can come back to affect the present. I am interested in creating horror through atmosphere, mystery, emotion and storytelling rather than depending only on conventional scares.
And yes, I won’t stop here. I have many more stories to tell, and I’m already preparing to bring those stories to my audience. There is so much more I want to create, explore and share, and I’m very much ready for the journey ahead.
Tiger Harmeek Singh” is a distinctive name. What is the story behind choosing “Tiger” rather than simply being known as Harmeek Singh, and what does the name “Tiger” personally represent to you?
I see myself as a tiger, and I feel I have always carried that spirit within me. My Dad lovingly called me “Tiger.” He loved the name “Harmeek” too, but “Tiger” had a special meaning because it carried his love and presence.
I miss my Dad deeply, and today, when my wife Manni Boparai calls me “Tiger,” it brings that same warmth back to me. The way she says it is filled with love and affection, and in a beautiful way, it makes me feel connected to my Dad.
So, “Tiger” is not just a name for me. It is an emotion, a memory of my Dad, and a beautiful part of my relationship with Manni Boparai ..
Tiger looking ahead, what is your ultimate dream as an artist — Pollywood, Bollywood, Hollywood, or beyond? When people look back at your journey years from now, what do you want the name Tiger Harmeek Singh to be remembered for?
My dream is not limited to Pollywood, Bollywood or Hollywood. I want to build a journey where my stories and my work can reach audiences beyond boundaries, as a writer and actor. I want to tell stories that come from the heart and take them across the world, creating work that can connect with people anywhere.
For me, success is not simply about becoming famous. It is about creating something meaningful, making people feel something, and leaving behind work that continues to speak even after I am gone.
Years from now, when people hear the name Tiger Harmeek Singh, I want them to remember someone who believed in his dreams, stayed true to his roots, and never stopped creating.
I don’t want to leave behind just a name; I want to leave behind a legacy — a body of work as Actor, a collection of stories, and a feeling that lives on long after my journey is over. If my work can inspire someone to dream bigger, believe in themselves, and follow their own path, then that, for me, will be the real legacy of Tiger Harmeek Singh.
