The White Tiger 2021

In the sweltering heat of Delhi’s streets, a whirlwind of youthful exuberance ensues as Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav) finds himself careening through life’s twists and turns. As Pinky (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) and Ashok (Rajkummar Rao) speed down the highway, their laughter and music filling the air, Balram’s instincts kick in as he urges a pedestrian to beware of the oncoming traffic. And so, with a wink, he begins his tale, lamenting that this is no way to start a story – that in India, entrepreneurs must be cunning and genuine, like a rare gem hiding in plain sight.

Fast-forward to Bangalore, 2010, where Balram has transformed into a successful entrepreneur, albeit one with a price on his head. As the Chinese prime minister prepares to visit India’s entrepreneurial elite, Balram seizes the opportunity to spin his own yarn, crafting an email that serves as a masterclass in self-promotion. He regales the esteemed guest with the story of his life, a testament to the power of perseverance and wit.

As the narrative unwinds, we are transported to Balram’s childhood, where he lived amidst the squalor and poverty of a sprawling family compound. His teacher, a beacon of hope, recognized the white tiger within him – a rare breed capable of greatness – and prophesied a scholarship would be his reward. But in this harsh reality, The Stork, a ruthless moneylender, held sway over the village, siphoning off its riches while leaving everyone else to scrape by.

Balram’s father, beset by tuberculosis, succumbs to the merciless grip of disease, and our protagonist is left to navigate the treacherous landscape of servitude. As he matures, Balram becomes acutely aware of the system that keeps servants like him in check – a metaphorical coop where roosters are doomed to wither away, their fate all but sealed. And yet, amidst this darkness, he senses an opportunity to break free, fueled by the promise of prosperity and his grandmother’s blessing.

The stage is set for Balram’s ascension, as he seizes the reins from The Stork’s youngest son, Ashok – a chance encounter that will propel him towards a future defined by cunning, resilience, and the unyielding drive to send everything back to his grandmother, the linchpin of his family’s fortunes.

As Balram masters the art of driving, he cunningly infiltrates The Stork’s opulent estate by charming his way into a test drive with the esteemed patriarch. Donning an air of reverent subservience, Balram regales The Stork with tales of his family, acutely aware that any servant who dares to pilfer from their master will face a gruesome fate - not only for themselves, but also for their loved ones. This calculated ploy earns him the coveted position as second driver, allowing him to rub shoulders with Pinky, Ashok’s wife, whom he had previously met in America. The astute Balram seizes the opportunity to impress his father with a bold declaration: the internet is the untapped frontier for individuals like himself, those who are often deemed “half-baked.” Meanwhile, Kishan attempts to collect long-overdue payments from Balram, but the latter remains resolute in barring him entry to the estate grounds.

As Balram navigates his new role, he overhears whispers of The Stork’s family facing a predicament of monumental proportions: tax fraud woes that have caught the attention of none other than “The Great Socialist,” a powerful politician demanding a staggering two and a half million rupees. Pinky, a woman with a free-spirited nature and a penchant for standing up to The Mongoose when he condescendingly addresses her, announces that she and Ashok will embark on a journey to Delhi to resolve the crisis. Balram seizes this chance to exploit his newfound status by cruelly blackmailing the first driver, who happens to be a Muslim - a group detested by The Stork - into abandoning his position, allowing Balram to assume the role.

As fate would have it, Ashok’s family decides to venture to Delhi to tackle their financial woes, and Balram finds himself accompanying them. Upon arrival, he settles into humble quarters beneath the hotel, where he begins to form an unlikely bond with Basham, a kindred spirit who shares his disdain for the cruel treatment of The Mongoose. Meanwhile, Ashok’s guilt-ridden conscience is weighed down by the corruption he witnesses in Delhi, which prompts him to bribe government officials alongside The Mongoose. When The Mongoose departs, leaving Balram and Basham behind, they begin to forge a deeper connection.

However, Balram soon finds himself disillusioned with his new surroundings, where the other servants are rough and uncouth. In response, he retreats to a solitary space, opting for solitude over the unpleasant company of his peers. As he navigates Delhi’s chaotic streets, he regales Ashok’s uncle with outlandish tales of mystical trees, which he passes off as factual accounts. His visit to his family, however, is met with displeasure; they are incensed by his failure to send remittances since departing for Delhi. His grandmother reveals that a suitable marriage has been arranged for him, but Balram refuses the proposal and storms away. Kishan later confronts him, emphasizing the importance of maintaining financial support, but Balram remains resolute, determined not to succumb to the same fate as his friend.

As Pinky’s birthday celebration unfolds, Balram’s pedestrian aspirations are confronted by her fervent idealism. She implores him to seek knowledge and ponder the depths of his desires, only to be met with the stark reality that he views life solely as a means to serve others. Her frustration boils over into a heated diatribe about her own humble beginnings and her subsequent ascension from poverty’s grasp. The tension between them simmers until the trio embarks on a fateful journey, during which an unexpected moment of intimacy is interrupted by Ashok’s sudden pause. Pinky’s ire is piqued as she expels Balram from the vehicle, but eventually returns to collect him. However, when he insists on taking the wheel once more, they flatly refuse, and the narrative loops back to its starting point.

In a striking juxtaposition, The Mongoose and The Stork greet Balram with an uncharacteristic warmth, only to present him with a confessional statement that would have far-reaching consequences. Ashok’s moral compass wavers as he counsels against signing away his freedom, yet ultimately yields to the crushing weight of coercion. As Balram pens his admission of guilt, The Mongoose drops a chilling hint about an imminent threat to his grandmother’s well-being, effectively silencing any dissent.

The truth begins to unravel when Pinky reveals that they possess a connection within the police department and that no one has come forward to report the incident. This newfound knowledge sparks a tidal wave of despair in Balram, as The Stork’s callous disregard for his plight serves as a catalyst for Pinky’s own disillusionment. Her ire is further inflamed when The Mongoose nonchalantly produces the signed confession, dangling it like a ticking time bomb.

In a poignant and intimate moment, Pinky rouses Balram in the dead of night, guiding him to the airport where she imparts words of wisdom: “You were searching for the key for years, but the door was always open.” As she departs, leaving behind a substantial sum of money, Balram is left to ponder the true nature of his existence.

The aftermath of Pinky’s departure sees Ashok’s anger and resentment boil over into physical violence, as he lashes out at Balram. In a striking display of empathy, however, Balram chooses to nurse Ashok back to health, attempting to lift his friend’s spirits in the process. As they begin to bond, The Mongoose’s sudden reappearance serves as a harsh reminder of the social hierarchy that governs their world. With Ashok’s subsequent treatment of Balram as nothing more than a lowly servant, the full extent of the societal chasm is laid bare.

As Balram’s epiphany dawns on him that Ashok is not a friend, but rather a patron who perpetuates his subservience, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery. He learns from fellow drivers the art of exploiting loopholes and begins moonlighting as a taxi service for locals, utilizing his spare time to accumulate a personal fortune. This newfound entrepreneurial spirit is juxtaposed with Balram’s growing empathy, exemplified by his generosity towards a homeless individual, which in turn incenses Ashok and The Mongoose. They perceive this act as an affront to their authority, fueling suspicion that The Mongoose may be plotting to supplant Balram.

As the stakes escalate, Balram finds himself entangled in Ashok’s corrupt scheme to bribe his way to victory in the election. He becomes increasingly disillusioned with the moral implications of this charade, especially when he discovers a single bribe equivalent to several years’ worth of his own salary. Though tempted to pilfer the funds, Balram is aware that doing so would imperil his family’s safety.

The Great Socialist’s electoral triumph only serves to amplify the pressure on Ashok, who is subsequently coerced into parting with four million rupees. Balram arrives at Ashok’s quarters, where he is met with an unexpected visit from his young nephew, accompanied by a letter from their grandmother. The missive expresses her deep disappointment in Ashok’s failure to remit financial support and threatens to expose his secrets to his master if he does not return home and assume his responsibilities.

Ashok grants Balram a rare day off, ostensibly to spend with his nephew, but in reality, allowing him to confront the harsh realities of their circumstances. As they visit the zoo, where they catch a glimpse of the majestic white tiger, Balram’s world begins to unravel. He becomes increasingly introspective, recognizing that only when one acknowledges beauty can one transcend the shackles of servitude.

In a moment of calculated desperation, Balram exacts revenge on Ashok by fabricating an excuse for an emergency stop and then using a jagged glass shard to inflict fatal wounds. As he escapes the scene, he is consumed by a mix of emotions - initially, despair, followed by a malevolent glee at having claimed the ill-gotten gains.

In his haste to flee, Balram returns to the train station, only to be overcome with a sense of responsibility and duty towards his nephew, whom he retrieves before departing. This act serves as a poignant testament to Balram’s gradual liberation from the shackles of oppression, as he begins to forge a new path, free from the suffocating grasp of his former masters.

As they arrive in Bangalore, Balram leverages the astute business acumen he acquired from Ashok (played by _______) to devise a strategy for infiltrating the corporate world. Utilizing a portion of the illicit funds to grease palms, Balram masterfully bribes the authorities, allowing him to operate with impunity as the police focus on apprehending taxi drivers with expired licenses. The cunning entrepreneur then establishes his own venture, “White Tiger Drivers,” and through shrewd financial maneuvering, amasses a staggering fifteen times the amount he pilfered from Ashok.

As “Ashok” himself, Balram adopts a distinctly more humanitarian approach to management, treating his employees as valued professionals rather than indentured servants. He insists on signing binding contracts, fostering an atmosphere of trust and accountability within his organization. When one of his drivers is involved in an unfortunate incident resulting in the injury of a child, Balram demonstrates a surprising degree of empathy by providing a generous severance package.

As he reflects on his journey, Balram comes to believe that his family’s likely fate at the hands of The Storks has been a catalyst for his transformation. He rationalizes that even if he were to be caught, the personal and professional growth he has experienced would have made it all worthwhile. For him, breaking free from the constraints of servitude is a liberating experience, one that he shares with his employees as they watch him depart, symbolizing his newfound independence and autonomy.