Based on the 2008 Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name by Aravind Adiga, The White Tiger is centred around Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav), who narrates his own epic and darkly humorous rise from poor villager to successful entrepreneur in modern India. Unlike most of his people in the village of Laxmangarh, Balram is dissatisfied with his situation and seeks to escape his village life. Ever cunning and ambitious, he works his way towards becoming a driver for Ashok (Rajkumar Rao) and his wife Pinky (Priyanka Chopra-Jonas), the son and daughter-in-law of the village landlord, known to the village as “The Stork.” Endearingly loyal to his masters, Balram makes himself indispensable to his rich masters – until a dramatic betrayal, hinted at during the be beginning of the film, that makes him realise just how little they value his life. It is this incident that changes him forever.
It is a compelling tale of the divide between the rich and poor and the injustice weathered by the latter. This is further complemented by strong believable performances by the cast. Right from the start, regardless of if you like him or the decisions he makes, you will be drawn in by Balram, his personality, and his journey. The movie is also beautifully shot with some really impressive cinematography that further reinforces the believability of each setting.
Where the film falls a bit short is in its pacing. While the initial half of the movie is well paced, the latter seems to lose focus and drag on for longer than it should, before picking up once again near the end. We can’t help but feel that the movie could do with a little bit of trimming. Regardless, this is a well-acted and through-provoking film that is well worth a watch.
The White Tiger is available to watch on Netflix.