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It’s said that fortune favors the bold—that those who step up to get what they want will succeed in the end. Netflix’s crime drama The White Tiger tells the story of one bold character—one who isn’t satisfied with his lowly lot in life, so he fights for something better.
The White Tiger fights for freedom with Balram (Adarsh Gourav), a smart and resourceful young man from a small village in India. Though young men like him are destined to a life of hard work and poverty, Balram wants something more. He convinces his grandmother to let him learn to drive, so he can get a job with the village’s landlord. Once he gets the job, he finds himself living in a completely different world—a lower caste outsider with a view of higher caste life. But he still wants much more.
Balram’s story is one of ruthlessness and ambition. Though he’s grown up knowing his lowly place in India’s society, he knows that he’s destined for more. He’s convinced that he’s a white tiger—a special, magical creature that comes along just once in a generation. And his confidence drives him to fight his way out of his village. It isn’t an easy journey, though, and he has to be clever and sometimes heartless to get what he wants. But you can’t help but admire his determination and drive.
While Balram’s story is filled with drama and suspense, though, what really makes the film stand out is its look at the lives of these characters. Balram points out that there are two kinds of people in India: the high caste and the low, the masters and the servants. People like Balram spend their lives working hard, being subservient, and living in horrible conditions, while people like his young master live in luxury, bribing government officials to make their lives even more comfortable.
Balram knows his place. His job is to smile and obey and express his gratitude for any scrap that he’s given. It’s often so difficult to watch him sputter and babble and kiss the feet of his masters, when they treat him with such contempt. While you won’t agree with all of his decisions, you may understand his reasons. And you’ll come out of it with a deeper understanding of this character and his culture.
Suspenseful and eye-opening, The White Tiger offers a fascinating glimpse of Indian culture, set amidst plenty of tension and drama. You may be drawn to the story of one young man’s fight for power, but you’ll learn a lot in the process, too.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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