The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga is a novel that follows Balram Halwai, introduced as the ‘White Tiger’: servant, philosopher, entrepreneur and murderer. The book opens with a stark observation on responsibility and possession in the aftermath of murder, setting the tone for Balram’s account.

Born in a backwater village on the River Ganges, Balram is the son of a rickshaw-puller and works in a teashop, crushing coal and wiping tables while holding on to a dream of escape. When a wealthy village landlord requires a chauffeur, Balram seizes the chance and soon finds himself driving a Honda to Delhi. In a city of cockroaches, call-centres, thirty-six-million gods, slums, shopping malls and relentless traffic jams, he begins to understand how a ‘Tiger’ might find a way to slip the bars of his cage.

Key details

• Novel by Aravind Adiga
• Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
• Adapted as a major Netflix production starring Priyanka Chopra
• Netflix production produced by Ava DuVernay

Synopsis

Balram Halwai grows up in a village on the River Ganges and works in a teashop, but dreams of leaving his life behind. A job opportunity as a chauffeur for a rich landlord takes him to Delhi, where he navigates a world of stark contrasts and crowded modernity. As he observes the city around him, Balram comes to see how someone like him might break free.

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