The White Tiger (2021): Film Review

One does not expect a good movie out of January, but this time Netflix delivers. The White Tiger (2021) is an adaptation of the Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name. Starring Adarsh Gourav, Rajkummar Rao, Priyanka Chopra amongst others, directed by Ramin Bahrani, it is one of the best films to have come out of 2021 so far.

(Image credit: Netflix)

The story follows Balram, a poor man from a village in Northern India who becomes a driver of a rich family. Along the way, he faces obstacles in the forms of a caste system, economic underdevelopment and the cycle of poverty. This synopsis has been significantly trimmed to avoid any spoilers. We would also recommend anyone who has not read the book to steer clear of the trailer. Trust us, your experience will be immensely improved.

The synopsis above makes the movie feel like one of those slow-burn social dramas. However, the charm of this movie is how it injects an electrifying quantity of drama into what seems like a simple rag-to-rich story. Much like Scorsese’s Wolf of Wall Street, this movie uses the framing device of a narrator to its best effect. We should always remember that when used wrongly, narration can be unbelievably lazy and boring. When used correctly, such as in this film, it can be both nuanced and satirical.

(Image credit: MensXP.com)

The success of the narration-style storytelling is owed to Adarsh Gourav’s charisma. Our gut feeling says that he will soon be recognized as this year’s newly discovered talent. Gourav delivers everything from charm, comedy to drama. He draws out our sympathy but also intimidates us with his intensity. The movie belongs to him.

But we must also credit his co-star, Rajkummar Rao, who plays off Gourav with a surface charm that seems to be hiding incredible depth. While Priyanka Chopra is well known to the western audience, in this film, she is virtually unrecognisable. Her character does not demand a lot, but she gives plenty to catch our attention. Both Chopra and Rao, however, seem to be aware that this is Gourav’s show. And like the great team players that they are, they leave the spotlight to Gourav. The unspoken dynamic that arises among the three might just be the best part of this film.

But... while Gourav’s performance is undeniably memorable, the star of The White Tiger is actually the directing.

Rahmin Bahrani gives this film a unique voice. Employing visual and narrative styles that faintly echoes Scorsese and O’Russell, Bahrani imbues the story with a quiet sensitivity. This sensitivity extends from his characters to the world that they inhabit. Unlike most social commentary films, The White Tiger does not villainize the society it criticizes. Although he did not paint a pretty picture of its society, there is no doubt there that Bahrani loves India. He loves India enough to explore its cracks and crevices.

(Image credit: Deadline)

This is not his first time on the social commentary rodeo either. It’s been a long time, but we still remember his criminally underrated film: 99 Homes (2014). That movie proved that Bahrani can handle difficult social commentary, but also demonstrated his talent for drawing phenomenal performances from great actors. In that film, he brought out the best from Andrew Garfield. And for this recent film, he seems poised and confident about launching an unknown into stardom.

Like White Tiger, 99 Homes is a story of a capitalist system that breeds conflict and violence in a society it proclaims to build. Rahmani’s propensity to show the worst stories at its worst angles might rub some people the wrong way, but for us, it puts him up there with Bong Joon Ho and Taylor Sheridan as one of the best cinematic critics of capitalism.

We certainly do hope White Tiger turns out to be Bahrani’s big break, as well as Gourav’s. While films like this deserve to be a common staple of Netflix, filmmakers such as Bahrani are capable of making even greater films. White Tiger admittedly isn’t flawless. There are moments where the story seems to slow down or becomes a bit too ambiguous for its own good. But again, the direction, the writing and the storytelling are so strong that we quickly forget any brief moments of confusion. Most importantly, we get the gist of the story. We understand the characters. We root for them.

By the end of the movie, White Tiger leaves us questioning not only India, democracy and capitalism, but also human nature as a whole. Its ending may be ambiguous for some, nor is the movie’s portrayal of Indian society. But its passionate plea on behalf of the subaltern is worth hearing. Whether it jolts you to action or leave you uncertain, Bahrani is definitely more interested in what you think.