User Reviews

First of all I might say that production and acting wise this movie is impeccable. The controversy here seems to be about the message that the movie sends.

I don't think that this sends an evil message that the poor must kill the rich in order to succeed, no, we must not forget that this is simply a movie and that is also based on a best selling book. About Balram actions, we see him being bullied and despised throughout the entire movie, we see that his family only cared about his money and marriage and not really about his feelings or desires. The trap of poverty is what we see in India, everyone is unable to create wealth because the people surrounding are all poor. Even if you are lucky enough to get a good job like Balram did, they controlled him by forcing him to take the blame for the murder and menacing his family life if he stole, and then after years of work you get two options: either you save enough to buy a home or you become homeless.

I understand that the master that he killed was the most decent one to him but I dare to say that was impossible for Balram to become rich without killing his master, and you must look at things from his perspective as well. First, at the end he was stealing from him with false invoices and got a significantly good amount of money given by Pinky but even in that situation he hadn't got enough to simply quit and start is own business. Second, he was going to get replaced and after that we can assume that we was going to get a more precarious job and start to afford less, and we all saw how he lived precariously working for rich people. Third, his family only wanted his money and to marry him and weren't able to help monetarily. Fourth, we clearly see the effect of that lifestyle on Balram, towards the end of the movie he is starting to loose his mind after going through all that and obviously that influenced his decision to kill. So taking this in consideration his only way to escape the cicle was by killing his master, steal the millions from him, change his name and appearance and start his business.

For the people complaining about the confession letter that they had of him and about the fact that the master's family didn't go after him, he explains in the movie that the only reason that he didn't got caught was because his appearance could be of a lot of average Indian men and he also changed his name so if they were looking for a Balram they wouldn't find him. He also states that he can be caught one day but it would have been still worth it to see how it is to not be poor.

Now the fun part is that at the end, after breaking his cycle of poverty he becomes just like the people that did him wrong. The only reason why his business succeeded was because he bribed the police and acquired some control over them, also becoming a corrupt himself. The good part is that he treated his employees respectfully and took blame for their actions, unlike his former masters.

Now you guys can interpret that the message of this movie is in order to be rich you must kill, but I see a much deeper meaning than that. The system is corrupt, the politics were bribed on a daily basis, the rich treated poor people like trash controlling their lives and not caring about their problems. Poor people lived on precarious conditions lacking health cares and decent living conditions. The message is that this oppressive system creates people like Balram, that tired of being treated wrong and knowing that the future didn't had nothing great for him, did the only thing that in his thinking was his choice. We don't need to educate people to not kill their bosses in order to become rich, everybody knows that murder is not the correct way. What we need is to change the system in order to make people not even consider that possibility, by creating conditions that allows everyone to live a decent life despite everything else. Balram is a product of the system, the big message is: we must change the system!

"The White Tiger" is the antidote to "Slumdog Millionaire." The latter film feels like a bunch of white guys appropriating Indian culture to tell their version of a fairy tale. "The White Tiger," by contrast, feels like a movie about India made by people who understand India.

It's an energetic, exuberant movie about the desperation that drives a poor ambitious man from a small village to murder and eventually a life of wealth and privilege. It's a dog eat dog story, almost literal in its telling and lacking any nuance, but pretty entertaining. It also feels very familiar to those of us living in places like the United States, where the lip service given to words like democracy, freedom, and capitalism are belied by the reality of those who have trampling over those who have not in the race to get even more.

I enjoyed the glimpses of modern-day India that this movie offered, even if they convinced me it's not a place I'm in any hurry to visit soon.

Grade: A-

This movie reminds me of Oscar Winning 'Parasite'.

How poor people take advantage of rich ones, is the centre of storyline in both the movies.

White Tiger is throghly an enjoyable movie and 1st half is so engaging. The end is still questionable because the movie ends on a negative note.

So 7/10 otherwise.. i was thinking about giving 8/10.

Need more such unique movies.

"It is the century of the brown men and the yellow men. And may God save everyone else."

You know how they say if you want to win elections in India, its the perception that will win it. Development never won election. You take caste, religion, and social class out of it, there is no election agenda at all. Look at Bihar, UP, MP its everywhere.

I read the White Tiger back in 2014. It was such an amazing book. I am surprised that it took them almost a decade to make a film out of this.

Absolutely well-made. Adarsh Gourav just proved how amazing of an actor he is! Glad the picturization was done in the context of early 20007 when Pajero Jeeps were a big deal. A sign of upper class who indeed owns the rest.

The subtle gestures of two people from the two divided classes making donations to God. One with a coin and the other with a 500 rupee note! Just goes to show the class divide in India.

Have things changed since? It perhaps did a bit. But now we have society polarised over ideologies. Caste is still the ever existing dilemma. Except, Indian middle class has grown.

Just how Arvind showed in his book. You either go up or you get eaten up. You thrive or you die.

White Tiger is a beautifully picturized movie. Apart from Priyanka Chopra's fake accent, everything else was just how it should have been. The movie and the book is still as relevant as it ever was.

Sharing a very old quote from the book itself which still stayed with me:

"Do you know about Hanuman, sir? He was the faithful servant of the god Rama, and we worship him in our temples because he is a shining example of how to serve your masters with absolute fidelity, love, and devotion.

These are the kinds of gods they have foisted on us Mr. Jiabao. Understand, now, how hard it is for a man to win his freedom in India."

Please read the book if you have not. And ofc watch the movie.

A review from another privileged guy who would not leave the privileges. But someone who also enjoys pondering over the social divide, caste, and religion. Because, the rich are born with advantages they can waste. But that is not the case for the poor.

The plot summary of the movie says, 'The epic journey of a poor Indian driver who must use his wit and cunning to break free from servitude to his rich masters and rise to the top of the heap.'. Seriously, killing his employer and taking his name does not make him smart or cunning, throughout the movie all he's doing is slaving, and is a victim until the moment where he kills his employer, that too happens at the very end of the movie. And they want us to believe he gets away just by bribing a police officer at a station, as if there's nobody else in the police force who might be looking for a suspect who has committed murder, especially of someone who has political connections. I cant believe how can this be an epic journey.

I have not read the book so cant comment on the original story, but if its the same story then the plot summary of the movie is incorrect. The story is the story of many Indians who come from rural India and are part of the feudal system that exists there. But it is by no means story of someone with wit or cunning and is not a foolproof way to get rich.

Also scenes where he writes to and then meets the Chinese premier was a bit unrealistic. Not sure if he actually email him the whole story or he was just recollecting it while writing the email.

Pros:

• Acting
• Productions values

Cons:

• Everything else :)

Its a one time watch, but don't expect too much.

Its ok...nothing to rave about...nothing special...was expecting much more tbh...what happened with the masters family? Why didnt they come after the driver knowing he killed the master and ran off with the money...and they still had the note that has the drivers admittance of murder too? Not really thought through...could have been so much more...not impressed