The White Tiger (Netflix)

 

The White Tiger (Netflix)

This is a hard movie to watch but absolutely worthwhile. The film depicts extreme poverty and brutality which are over come by determination and cunning. The white tiger is that rare creature rising  above brutal obstacles to ruthlessly achieves its goals.  

This film is a combination of a great script, great acting and great directing. This is an American movie, not Bollywood,  but the actors, director and story are all Indian. The story is about a boy with talent and promise but is chained to poverty and caste discrimination. His obstacles include his family, his village and his tyrannical employer. The depiction of Indian society and culture is harsh. Socialism is a sham  driven by graft. Poverty is desperate and is a motivation to escape. The main character says at one time there were a thousand castes in Indian now there are only two.

The protagonist is Balram Halwai played by Adarsh Gourav. His performance was outstanding. He is ambitious and clever but is  capable of reprehensible actions to escape his lot. The dark evolution of his character is the heart of the movie. His sins are camouflaged by a corrupt society. The introduction of Priyanka Chopra as Pinky and Rajkummar Rao as Ashok add  complexity to the film.  They are married and return to India from America. Ashok is the son of the brutal landlord of Barlram’s village and a businessman. Ashok wants to bring American business techniques to his father’s operation but is blocked by implacable graft.  Whereas Ashok tries to straddle two societies,  his wife Pinky is decidedly more American and finds the treatment of Balram cruel. In the end Pinky’s higher morals are tested but she fails. At the point of being discarded like a piece of trash Balram becomes the white tiger again.

The supporting actors do a great job and the movie could not have succeeded without them. I am not certain but I assume locals were also caste. The cinematography was gritty, there were no postcard shots of India. Warning some of the scenes are hard to take.

The movie is entirely shot in India and the poverty is not glossed over. Slumdog Millionaire had brutal scenes, but also redemption. The white tiger does not seek redemption only success. I would not be surprised if this film in nominated for best foreign film. Thanks Marie.