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.
3:39 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Heidi: Movie review

Image
I had read this classic by Johanna Spyri as a little girl. I won it as a prize along with my merit card when I was graduating from Primary to Middle School.  When I stumbled upon this on Amazon Prime, I was delighted. It always feels good to watch your favorite fictional characters on screen. Its often slated that the book is always better as it captures a lot more depth with regards to the plot and characters. However a couple of adaptations that I had seen in the recent past made a good watch. A couple of them ended up being a visual treat. One was The Call of the Wild which showcased the beauty of the Alaskan Wilderness. Another one was Heidi which exhibited the splendor of the snow clad Alps.  Heidi is the story of a young orphaned girl who is sent to live in the mountains with her rather eccentric grandfather-who is known as Alm Uncle by the villagers. Heidi manages to melt his heart as he develops an affection for her. She spends her carefree days in the mountains a
Read more

100 meters : Movie Review

Image
Watched this inspiring Spanish film over the weekend on Netflix!  100 meters is a based on a true story of a man named Ramon who is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He is told that he will be able to even walk 100 meters in the next one year. Determined to prove this wrong, he takes up the challenge of doing the grueling Ironman race which involves 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking and 26.2 miles running.  With the help of his father in law with whom he initially shares a shaky relationship with, he begins to train relentlessly. Ramon faces challenges on the way and is almost pushed to the brink of being bed ridden. He overcomes every hurdle with grit and a positive frame of mind. It remains to be seen if he actually finishes the race.  This movie struck a chord in many ways. A triathlon is not just a race-its a humbling journey which alters your life forever. The training period is especially a challenging one as it demands a lot out of you. The film showcases the importance of f
Read more

My friend Ganesha: Friendship with God

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=b7ab149a-5f35-4861-8859-6a890ddb71fe Loneliness often propels one to longingly seek a friend. Times like these often push us into a solitary stance or we find our solace in the road to spirituality striking an unspoken friendship with God. My friend Ganesha is one such film which depicts this divine friendship between a child and the elephant faced God and takes you down the mythological lane. The movie revolves around a family consisting of Ashu, his parents, aunt and the maid Gangubhai who places her sincere devotion in Lord Ganapathy. Ashu is a lonely child devoid of any friends and to top it all he is bullied by his counterparts at every given opportunity. To make matters worse, his parents who are caught up with the corporate lifestyles hardly spend time with him. One day he ends up saving a little mouse from the harsh rains. On sharing this with the maid, leaves her enthralled enough to tell him of being the
Read more