Reported By:
| Edited By: Aishwarya Vasudevan |Source: DNA webdesk |Updated: Jan 22, 2021, 01:49 PM IST
Cast: Adarsh Gourav, Rajkummar Rao, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Mahesh Manjrekar and Vijay Maurya
Director: Ramin Bahrani
Duration: Two hours five minutes
Where to Watch: Netflix
Critics' Rating: 3/5
The ambitious driver (Adarsh Gourav) for a rich Indian family uses his wit and cunning to escape from poverty and become an entrepreneur. Based on the bestselling novel by Aravind Adiga of the same name.
If you think this rags-to-riches story will remind you of Slumdog Millionaire, then Balram (Adarsh Gourav) shuts it down in the first few minutes of the film. The leading actor is also the narrator of the film and he is heard saying, "Don't believe for a second there's a million-rupee game show you can win to get out of it."
The story begins from a long drive in which Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Pinky) and Rajkummar Rao (Ashok) are in high spirits while going on a drive. Whereas 'Maharja' clad Balram is sitting on the backseat of the car, yes, he is the actual driver. But then the moment is paused and taken right in the future when Balram has become an entrepreneur. He writes an email to Wen Jiabao, premier of China back in the time wherein he narrates the dark and gritty tale about his life and how he left the servant 'quarters' to become a master himself.
Living in a matriarchy village, Balram aimed to lead a life as a slave and called himself as a part of the 'the rooster coop'. Going by the title, yes the film is filled with animal-related metaphors. But life as a slave is just a first step to become a master and he covered that ambition with an innocent yet sly face shield.
His masters especially Stork (Mahesh Manjrekar) and Mongoose (Vijay Maurya) ill-treat him and feel that's how servants deserve to be treated. Ashok (Rajkummar) hates it and warns them about how they can get sued in the US. Similarly, Pinky (Priyanka) could see her reflection in Balram at a few instances as she talks about how she lived with her parents in a Queens bodega basement.
The White Tiger decodes the caste system in India on how no matter what, the roots can never be uprooted. Balram belongs to the Halwai caste which the Stork and Mongoose are not to keen. But the modern-day couple Ashok and Pinky have no issues in knowing the caste of their driver as far as his driving skills are fine.
Director Ramin Bahrani touches upon the subject of the caste system and modern India in a detailing way. He has given it a darker overtone which makes The White Tiger grittier and intensifies with every sequence change.
Adarsh Gourav takes the film on his shoulder and climbs on to the top successfully. His mannerisms as a sly, sincere and crooked man make him an actor to look forward to in the future. There's a dialogue which he says while describing an India entrepreneur ' - 'The Indian entrepreneur has to be straight and crooked, mocking and believing, sly and sincere, all at the same time.' Adarsh aced all these qualities which Balram has in the movie beautifully.
Rajkummar Rao as an NRI with the 'Swades' like realisation feels the urge to stay in India to be with his family and clean up their mess. He is tied between the love for his family and his loving wife played by Priyanka (who is the first-generation immigrant from the US). Rao is a smooth-talker in the film and with that flavour of the US accent, makes him more palpable to watch. Known for getting adopted to every character he plays, this one was also a no-surprise!
Priyanka Chopra Jonas, in a limited role, shows why she is worth it! The actor's speciality according to us is to portray the highly dramatised roles perfectly. She gets the point of being privileged but also being the victim of the caste system by marrying Rajkummar.
The White Tiger is the tale of a guilt trip crime, a rags-to-riches story with the Indian caste system and modern-day India playing the catalysts.
A performance-oriented film with the gritty and intense story make it a worthy OTT watch!
