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A terribly cynical but bloody bootstrapping tale, “The White Tiger” could easily have been renamed “The Rooster Coop” given the protagonist Balram (Adarsh Gourav) ‘s analogy that housekeepers in India are essentially trapped animals in awaiting imminent slaughter. But the title comes from the birth of the once in a generation of the prized white tiger, a symbol of Balram’s ability to succeed in a society where his fate was virtually sealed by being born into the Halwai (candy) caste.
At the end of the film, Balram takes his nephew to a zoo where he sees a white tiger in a cage. It provides an appropriate metaphor. Director Ramin Bahrani, who adapted Aravind Adiga’s Man Booker Prize-winning novel, suggests that, whatever its value, they can still be jailed.
As Balram tells his story, he talks about the two Indies – one dark, one light – noting that it’s possible that any poor Indian boy could be prime minister, but also that “one shouldn’t be a poor man in a free democracy. ”He describes how Indian entrepreneurs must be both“ straight and crooked, mocking and believing, devious and sincere ”. Balram, with his hair slicked back and his ponytail, turns out to be all of those things. His ambitions know no bounds – especially after realizing that the door to opportunity is open.
“The White Tiger” goes back to show young Balram (Harshit Mahawar) in his village of Laxmangarh in northern India. He knows English and is promised a scholarship in Delhi. However, his fate is hijacked by his family. His father is indebted to the local owner (Mahesh Manjrekar), and Balram must work accordingly; he regrets not having gone to school anymore. But he keeps learning from the school of life. He finds out that the owner may need a driver and promises his grandmother (Kamlesh Gill) a great fortune if she supports him by taking driving lessons. He uses his tricks to secure the position of second driver, working mainly for the owner’s son, Ashok (Rajkummar Rao), who was educated in the United States.
The car is an (other) cage, of course, but it allows Balram a little more freedom. Once settled into bondage, Balram’s ingenuity helps him find the weakness of the first driver, which he shamelessly / shamelessly exploits. Balram also welcomes Ashok, who sees the poor young man as typical of the untapped Indian market that can benefit (and / or be exploited by) the outsourcing industry in Bangalore.
Balram accompanies Ashok and his Brooklyn wife Pinky (Priyanka Chopra, also an executive producer) to Delhi, and leads the couple on various dates. Some meetings involve Ashok delivering satchels of cash to offset his family’s tax evasion, indicating that the rich are indeed to blame.
“The White Tiger” portrays this change in Balram’s fortune with the young man’s wide-eyed gaping at the city’s skyscrapers and luxury. There is tension watching Balram negotiate his new situation. He holds the car door open for Ashok, who feigns embarrassment, but relents, taking advantage of his privilege. Balram enjoys the privilege by association even if he sleeps in the parking lot with the other servants / drivers. The underground network is another system Balram must navigate, but he knows he’s better there than being in his village, where his grandmother wants him to marry, which would derail his ambitions. .
The crafty servant gets along with his master – they are seen playing a video game at one point – but Ashok is mercurial and can put Balram in his place. The two actors complement each other well. Adarsh Gourav makes his savvy sycophant attractive as Balram tries to please the man he should hate. In contrast, Rajkummar Rao (so good in “Newton”, available on Amazon) plays Ashok like an innocent man. But it borders on scary – especially on a drunken visit to Balram’s garage.
However, most of these issues are context related. The real drama of “The White Tiger” stems from a decision made by the characters following a tragic car accident that occurs halfway through the film. (He is actually alluded to in the opening scene, but Balram’s account brazenly insists, “This is no way to start a movie!”) As the situation is manipulated for the benefit of the culprit, attitudes de Balram inform his subsequent actions.
Bahrani’s recent films – “99 Homes” and the underrated “At Any Price” – both featured characters making questionable decisions and behaving in a friendly manner for their own benefit. “The White Tiger” continues this trend, but is less aggressive. Perhaps this is why Balram humbly asks viewers in the first few moments not to judge him until “I have told you my glorious story”.
What makes this scornful tale glorious is that Bahrani’s scathing social commentary is exuberant even during its darkest moments. The film practically enjoys showing the lengths Balram is willing to take to get out of the rooster coop. And “The White Tiger” invites viewers to seek out a man whose demeanor is probably no worse than that of the corrupt Master he serves.
A revealing scene shows Balram crouching and smiling with one hell of a jerk as they relieve themselves, perhaps acknowledging that everyone is the same on some level. But in a more revealing episode, Balram reacted aggressively to a beggar, showing her height and rightness.
Cleverly, whenever Balram sheepishly apologizes for one of his transgressions; he really says, “Sorry, not sorry.” And that’s why “The White Tiger” is so thrilling. Balram plays both sides, and Bahrani admires how he plays with the system to get what he wants, even though he berates him lightly for it.
“The White Tiger” is available in select theaters and on Netflix on Friday, January 22.
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