‘The White Tiger’ review: Netflix movie presents a searing look at India’s caste system



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The action takes place through the eyes of Balram (Adarsh ​​Gourav), who tells his story – from 2007 – from the perspective of a newly created tycoon, writing a letter to the visiting Chinese premier asking for the opportunity to meet him. The tale then turns back, revealing Balram as the “lowborn” servant of an imperious and corrupt family, obediently acting as their driver.

How did he get from there to here in just three years, escaping the endemic poverty that writer-director Ramin Bahrani describes in insightful detail? That’s where the mystery lies, filling the film with a sense of foreboding that is reinforced by the storytelling, which at one point includes a warning that things are about to get “a lot darker.”

Those foreign to the peculiarities of the Indian class system might be shocked by the description of how the lives of the poor are viewed. Balram displays real academic promise as a child, before an unfortunate turn of events forces him to start working to support his family.

“I never saw the interior of a school again,” he recalls, with the same neutral tone he brings to even the most difficult parts of his life.

The central relationship for Balram is revealed to be his involvement with Ashok (Rajkummar Rao), the U.S. educated son of the family who returned home, and Pinky (Priyanka Chopra Jonas, also the film’s producer). As they come to rely on Balram, they often treat him horribly – almost like a non-person – a reminder of structural inequalities and how they promote abusive behavior.

It’s a remarkable central performance of Gourav, whose character intelligently plans to be hired as Ashok’s driver. Yet her efforts to convey an outward image of blissful bondage are regularly questioned, while her boss (or “master,” as Balram calls him) can ignite cruelty at any moment.

The book and film draw the title of the rarest animal, hinting at the qualities that will be needed to move Balram from prey to predator, from low-born to high-level issues in his current personality. .

The last act doesn’t quite equal the build-up, but by this point “The White Tiger” has already sunk its teeth into you enough, making an investment in understanding Balram’s fate. the impression of two hours well spent.

“The White Tiger” will be released January 22 on Netflix.

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