The White Tiger on Netflix is a movie based on the 2008 Booker Prize award-winning novel by the same name authored by Aravind Adiga. We bring you here our thoughts about the movie in our review series of movies and web series. The movie has been making waves since its release including talks of it being nominated for the Oscars, it also finds itself on the longlist for BAFTA 2021.
The Netflix movie has also been getting rave reviews, especially in the western media. Read on to know why The White Tiger is no big deal according to us. The plot of, The White Tiger, its cast, and our review are presented here. We hope you find the review honest and interesting, like all our previous reviews of web series and movies.
Table of Contents
The White Tiger – A Modern Day “Fairytale”
“You may be the first Jonas to win an Oscar”, Nick Jonas to Priyanka Chopra who assays one of the roles in the White Tiger. If you see the movie you will realize that Priyanka has hardly anything to do in the movie! Posters of the movie show the images of Priyanka and Rajkumar Rao metaphorically dwarfing the image of Adarsh Gourav who plays the protagonist. The story revolves around the character played by Adarsh Gourav but the bigger names Priyanka and Rajkumar Rao hog the limelight.
The White Tiger – India Through Western Eyes
“Ramin Bahrani offers a kinetic and textured satirical commentary on caste friction in modern India” Hanna Flint, Empire
“Ramin Bahrani directs a barbed rags-to-riches tale of modern India.” A.O.Scott, The NYTimes
These are some of the reviews of The White Tiger in the western media which is simply gushing over it as it does for any movie that highlights the underbelly of India, be it, “The Slumdog Millionaire”, and many others of the ilk.
The White Tiger – The Plot
The story revolves around the rags to riches story of a village lad, Balram who battles poverty and breaks free of the inequalities of a stifling caste system. Balram and his brother live in a village of Rajasthan where they are forced to work in a tea stall to eke out a living.
But Balram has stars in his eyes and he soon uses his native intellect and viles to become a driver to the son of the local Zamindar who lives in the big city. He is seen driving the US returned Ashok and his wife Pinky crazily around. But a driving ambition eggs Balram on as he wants to ascend right to the top of the pecking order of society.
He soon kills his ‘master’, and surfaces in Bangalore where he sets up a transport company catering to the burgeoning IT industry and becomes a successful businessman, his new-found status symbolized by a ponytail.
The White Tiger – The Cast
The White Tiger is directed by Ramin Bahrani and is based on the book by the same name written by Aravind Adiga. Ramin Bahrani has himself scripted the movie. The main cast of The White Tiger is as under.
- Adarsh Gourav as Balram
- Rajkumar Rao as Ashok
- Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Pinky
- Vedant Sinha as Dharam
- Mahesh Manjrekas as The Stork
- Saroop Sampat as The Great Socialist
The White Tiger – Trailer
Our Thoughts About The White Tiger
The movie gives a different meaning to the title. The title actually alludes to, “a rarity”, or something beyond the ordinary. But in the context of the movie, it can also mean the condescending, myopic, and lop-sided understanding of India by most westerners, for whom India is still a nation of snake charmers where elephants and tigers (non-white) are common on the road, despite the fact that many of the top companies of the World have Indian CEOs.
But leaving aside the prejudice and ignorance aside, even if you view the movie as just a fairy tale, it is nothing extraordinary.
The story is based on a book and somehow that is what seems to dwell at the back of the director’s mind. Films are a visual medium, but the movie seems to forget that and the narration by the protagonist of his story mars the flow of the film. It would have been a more visually powerful movie if it could have got over the fact that it was a book first.
Performance-wise it is Adarsh Gourav’s movie all the way, it is his story as the protagonist Ballu and he does ample justice to the role. Rajkumar Rao and Priyanka Chopra have smaller roles which they do well. But the point is that their performances are definitely not earth-shattering. They have had far meatier roles and given better performance in umpteen other movies. And of course, they are not “Oscar-winning performances by any stretch of the imagination”.
We hope you appreciate our candid review of The White Tiger, do let us know your thoughts through our comments section. For more such reviews and articles on a variety of topics ranging from entertainment to spirituality, subscribe to our blog and connect with us on our social media channels.
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I have heard about this movie, but never got the time to check it out. I liked your candid review, this is true the western crowd make movies around India with myopic views. In a way ridiculing them, but what can we say when our writers give them the fodder for the thought. I would definitely watch the movie.
Couldn’t agree more. Watched the movie with all the hype and seeing the starcasts and then was in for a surprise. Great detailed review
I have this in my list to watch for this weekend. Will give it a try based on your review
Interesting review. I actually loved the book and liked the movie too. Adarsh as Balaram was most convincing. Thought the movie was crisp, refreshing and showed a lot of my beloved Delhi 🙂
What timing… I was just planning to watch it this week and the review comes. Definitely appreciate the candid review. keep them coming.
Oh wow such a great review. I have been trying to watch it from the time it has released but I haven’t had time. It’s a shame that it is just a normal movie and the title is misleading. I had expected more from it.