Movie review : The White tiger

An ambitious Indian driver uses his wit and cunning to escape from poverty and rise to the top. An epic journey based on the New York Times bestseller.

PROS

• Very compelling original storyline.
• Great performances by the main characters.

FAVORITE QUOTES

Balram: The greatest thing to come out of this country in its 10,000-year history… the rooster coop. They can see and smell the blood. They know they are next, yet they don’t rebel. They don’t try and get out of the coop.

Balram: The trustworthiness of servants is so strong that you can put the key of emancipation in a man’s hand and he will throw it back at you with a curse.

Balram: In the old days, when India was the richest nation on Earth, there were 1,000 castes and destinies. These days, there are just two castes. Men with big bellies and men with small bellies. And there are only two destinies, eat or get eaten up.

Balram: But for the poor, there are only two ways to get to the top, crime or politics. Is it like that in your country too?

CONCLUSSION

The White Tiger is based in India but its themes of ambition , classism and corruption are international. It is a relatable story about being stuck in an endless cycle of poverty and looking for a way out. The movie is narrated by Balram (Adarsh Gourav) as he takes you on a journey through his rags to riches story.

Balram , raised to show unwavering loyalty to his employer ,Ashok (Rajkummar Rao), and his wife Pinky (Priyanka Chopra) , works as a driver to his two US educated bosses, whom do not conform to traditional norms. They treat Balram with a combination of familiarity and condescension. The dynamic between them ,was played out in spectacular fashion. It is interesting to watch Balram’s character development , I was not sure if I was supposed to support him or hate , or maybe both. He is driven to do whatever it take to get to the top.

The White tiger is a brilliantly memorable movie. It will leave you thinking about the parallels to your own society and the dynamics between the rich and the poor.

RATING

5 out of 5

BY KAPA KAUMBA