The White Tiger belongs to the class of cinema which is being told by a breed of not-so-Indian storytellers who seems to understand Indian problems. Sometimes they miss and sometimes they hit bullseye. This film is somewhere in between.
If you go by the story, then you know this film is quintessentially Indian telling the story in a way so as to engage the western audience also. And by doing so, it somehow abandons that Indian audience.
As an indian, there are far more superior quality cinema already made (most of them in regional cinemas) who tackles this subject with not just more sincerity but also with a heart. This film is often fails to do so and seems soulless. But having said that unfortunately AND fortunately this film will get a greater acceptance in the west because it presents the story in a way the West understands the problem.
For instance, a small trivial detail might not matter to a western audience but the fact that the Stork even with his vast wealth and cultural superiority complex decides to travel in a sleeper class (or could easily be just General Class) of a train can and will erk an Indian audience. But for a Westerner that is just an exotic scene describing "how Indians travel".
Same applies to the caste divide. For some foreigner the fact that one character is upper caste and the other is lower caste is enough for them to (have the illusion that they) understand India's vast cultural divide. But for an Indian that's just gross simplification.
As I said these are just trivial details but they explain so much more about the intent of the makers. Maybe it was a conscious decision but as an Indian that's just mediocre cinema.
As I said these are just trivial details but they explain so much more about the intent of the makers. Maybe it was a conscious decision but as an Indian that's just mediocre cinema.