Our take
The White Tiger only occurs once in 10,000 births naturally, so it’s a fitting title for this film’s protagonist, as someone deemed smart enough to have a shot at breaking through his social class. It’s an extraordinary character study. It’s not because it’s the most original story, because it would be easy to recognize how much of an underdog Balram Halwai is. It’s extraordinary because of the pulsing anger that bleeds through the dark humor, a refusal to sugarcoat that makes the film stand out. As Balram recalls the upper class family he used to work for, the drama dives deep into the systemic corruption that determines most people’s fate in India, with such a gripping direction that it’s hard to look away, even as it gets ugly.
What it won
Oscars
1 nom
BAFTA
2 noms
Spirit Awards
1 nom
WGA
1 nom
The story
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.
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.
The details
Who picked it
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
