A different beast
The White Tiger is an adaptation of Aravind Adiga s 2008 novel of the same name. The film deals with caste politics and showcases the rich-poor divide that exists in India. It offers a commentary on what’s wrong with our country, where even after so many years of democracy, the mighty still rule over those with lesser means. In the film’s somewhat lopsided worldview the only way up for the poor is through crime and politics. Director Ramin Bahrani has made the film for Western audiences. Hence, all we see is abject poverty at one hand and high-society lifestyle on the other. It’s as if the great Indian middle class, which is driving the world economy forward by its buying power, simply doesn’t exist. This division into the haves and have-nots is too simplistic indeed.