'The White Tiger': Ramin Bahrani Charts A Darkly Comic Rags-To-Riches Story Starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas

The dangers and uncertainties of global class systems are becoming talked about topics thanks to titles like Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite.” Netflix’s “The White Tiger” seeks to shine that glaring light on India’s caste as well as the eventual issues that come from its rigid structure. This adaptation of Aravind Adiga’s award-winning book highlights the poor and disenfranchised, those often overlooked in period pieces dripping with colonial interpretations. The choices made and paths taken are done so with a dose of humor to break traditional character molds.

Ramin Bahrani creates another bold chapter in his growing filmography with the project. While his short films “Chop Shop” and “Plastic Bag” made a name for the burgeoning filmmaker, it was his breakout 2018 adaptation of “Fahrenheit 451” that set him up as a creator to watch. Much like those titles, Bahrani acts as both the director and screenwriter for ‘Tiger.’

The film’s official synopsis:

“Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav) narrates his epic and darkly humorous rise from poor villager to successful entrepreneur in modern India. Cunning and ambitious, our young hero jockeys his way into becoming a driver for Ashok (Rajkummar Rao) and Pinky (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), who have just returned from America. Society has trained Balram to be one thing — a servant — so he makes himself indispensable to his rich masters. But after a night of betrayal, he realizes the corrupt lengths they will go to trap him and save themselves. On the verge of losing everything, Balram rebels against a rigged and unequal system to rise up and become a new kind of master.”

Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ken Kamins, Paul Ritchie, Prem Akkaraju, Ava DuVernay, and Sarah Bremner are executive producers on “The White Tiger.” The Netflix film also stars Chopra Jonas, Adarsh Gourav and Rajkummar Rao. Get your first look at the trailer below.