The White Tiger: Movie review


Another Friday evening. This meant I could unwind and take a break from my current read which is about the atrocities in the life of a young Nigerian girl. I ended up watching another hard hitting movie which incidentally is an adaptation of the book by the same name. 

I had read The White Tiger back in 2008 and had mixed views about it. It took me a second reading to understand and appreciate the nuances of the book. There was some speculation about why it won the Booker Prize despite its ordinary language. For me the tone and the language provided authenticity to the character and the setting. 

The movie chronicles the life of Balram Halwai-an ambitious village boy who manages to get a chauffeur job with a rich family. He strives to escape from the rooster coop-a metaphor used to describe the oppression of the poor. Throughout the movie, written in a form of a letter, he expresses his frustration about corruption, the caste system, the class divide and poverty. The wry and dark humor is apparent in his voice throughout the film, while exploring the complexities of the master-servant dynamics. There is also a subtle depiction of patriarchy portrayed in a couple of scenes. Some of the instances tend to remind you of the Oscar winning film Parasite. Another bone of contention is whether he was justified in killing the master. The character defends his stance by categorically stating that in order to overcome poverty, one must either resort to politics or crime. Which isn't necessarily true. This could again be a manifestation of frustration that he experiences. 

Unlike some of the recent films that I watched, this definitely does not induce the feel good factor. Yet the brilliant performances  by the lead cast makes it worthy a watch. Adarsh Gourav lives up to the character of Balram Halwai. Its always a pleasure to watch Rajkummar Rao and his effortless performance. Priyanka Chopra does well too.  The direction is brilliant and its unflinching portrayal of betrayal and struggles leaves a mark. 

It's the same feeling that I had experienced when I watched Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur. 



Comments

Unknown said…
Just watched this a couple nights ago and your review really hits the nail on the head. I, too, was hooked from the opening scene, even though the plot is mostly familiar within the rags to riches trope. Yet there was a sinisterness and cynicism, the dark humor you mentioned, which really drew me in. So much so that I was able to digest the murder even while I was horrified by it. I haven't read the book, but the character of Balram in the movie, specifically Adarsh Gourav's portrayal, was brilliant. Balram narrates with such impunity that I felt like I was pardoning him even before I knew his crime.

Overall, I really liked the movie but felt so conflicted and unsettled by it. Yet, Balram's cool demeanor at the end underlines how little he cares for my judgement. It's almost as if I am simultaneously an accomplice but also an unworthy/unneeded ally. Balram doesn't need anyone else's assurance. He wins all on his own.
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