Aravind Adiga's debut novel The White Tiger, with its themes of globalisation, individualism, social class and liberty, was a worldwide phenomenon when it was published in 2008. It made it to the New York Times bestseller list and also won the 40th Man Booker Prize that year. Now, it's been turned into a movie that will be on Netflix from Friday, January 22. Directed by Ramin Bahrani (Chop Shop, 99 Homes), The White Tiger stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Rajkummar Rao and Adarsh Gourav.
It's no surprise that Bahrani wanted to tackle the novel as he and Adiga studied English literature at Columbia University in New York at the same time in the 1990s, where they met and discussed each other's work. Open the pages of the novel, and you'll find it's dedicated to Bahrani.
"Aravind is one of my closest friends," says the director, 45, who is also a professor of English literature at Columbia. "We've been trading ideas, book scripts for almost 15 years. I remember him sending me early drafts of The White Tiger. I thought: 'This is incredible.' I waited for almost 15 years to make this film."
The White Tiger tells the story of Balram (Gourav), a young Indian man who refuses to accept that he is born to be a servant in India's casteist society. Coming from a poor village family, his academic acumen is unfulfilled as poverty means he has to abandon school. He gets a job as a driver to a hip young Delhi couple, Ashok (Rao) and his liberal Indian-American wife Pinky (Chopra Jonas). Everything is going along smoothly until a tragic car accident proves to be a stark reminder that no matter how nice Balram's employers seem, he will always be their underling. But Balram has other ideas.
"He's got some crazy visions about what he sees," says Bahrani about the character whose rise is a metaphor for India's economic miracle. He hunts riches and power without considering who he is treading over or what laws he breaks on his way up.
Chopra Jonas was a huge fan of the book when she read it a decade ago. "So, when I read in movie trade magazines that it was being turned into a film, I called my agents and said this movie is not being made without me," she says.
Naturally, when one of the world’s biggest stars wants to be in your movie, the director will not only say yes, but also work out how to make the part bigger. In the film, Pinky is an opinionated outsider who asks questions about the treatment of servants in her home, offering a direct challenge to the traditional caste system.
On a Netflix post-movie panel, Chopra Jonas revealed that her move to America and her marriage to singer Nick Jonas helped her understand her character's viewpoint. "Pinky Madam's spot is more pivotal in the movie than the novel. Ramin has given her character such an interesting perspective. I had so much fun playing her, especially because I'm an Indian who has lived in India, and now having lived in America it was interesting to take on one of my first Indian-American parts.
“The class disparity is something that exists throughout the world, but specifically in India. It’s something we’re afraid to talk about, we condemn it openly, but it still exists.”
It was also an opportunity for Chopra Jonas to act with award-winning Indian actor Rao (Kai Po Che!, Shahid, Newton.) "I've never played a character like Ashok before," he says. "It was tough also because I had to pick up an American accent, which made me so nervous because I didn't want to sound forced and cliched."
Rao empathised with Ashok. "He's also stuck and a victim of the system. He's a compassionate guy, he's ambitious, he's recently returned from America and has a milder personality compared to his wealthy and entitled family. So I tried to make him human."
But the actor who is getting all the plaudits is Gourav. He made his debut as a young boy, opposite Shah Rukh Khan in My Name is Khan (2010), but The White Tiger is his breakthrough. Variety magazine called him an outsider for the Best Actor Oscar. Bahrani took advice from celebrated Indian casting director Tess Joseph (The Namesake, Lion, Aladdin), as he searched for someone who could play Balram.
“I really wanted to cast a local, and my hope was to find a fresh face, who maybe wasn’t born in a big city and not from a wealthy family,” says the director, whose parents are Iranian.
“Then, one day, Adarsh showed up. He was kind of dressed the part. He didn’t have any shoes on, and he came in and sat on his haunches, and I thought he’s sitting down like people I know in Iran, this is how the working class in Iran sit. I immediately perked up, and hoped he could act.”
Gourav adds: "I had a couple of rounds before I met Ramin, so by the time we met, I had started to understand Balram a little more. I was never a big reader when I was growing up, but The White Tiger was one of those books that I read when I was 14 years old. So, I had a fair idea of what the story and character was."
Even so, once Gourav landed the role, he immersed himself into the character. He introduced himself as Balram and worked in a tea shop in a small village, then went to Delhi and worked as a waiter and dish cleaner.
“I absolutely hated it, but the whole idea of doing that was to understand how much Balram hated doing what he was doing in the village and then discover how insignificant, how invisible he was to society and people around him.”
Although the story is set in India, Bahrani wanted to play up the universal themes. "It's the story of a man who is trapped and wants to be free; who can't understand that?
“It encompasses class, money, health care, the judicial system, caste and classism. It sounds like I’m talking about America, right?”
The director is keen for the film to show the rage that forms when ordinary people witness systemic corruption. While the book was viewed as an attack on Indian elitism, Bahrani wanted the film to look at the global picture. "The last four decades have shown that there is corruption in democracy. We can feel it in America, in India, in any country in the world. And that simmering rage is Balram."
The White Tiger is on Netflix from Friday, January 22
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Fight Night
FIGHT NIGHT
Four title fights:
Amir Khan v Billy Dib - WBC International title
Hughie Fury v Samuel Peter - Heavyweight co-main event
Dave Penalosa v Lerato Dlamini - WBC Silver title
Prince Patel v Michell Banquiz - IBO World title
Six undercard bouts:
Michael Hennessy Jr v Abdul Julaidan Fatah
Amandeep Singh v Shakhobidin Zoirov
Zuhayr Al Qahtani v Farhad Hazratzada
Lolito Sonsona v Isack Junior
Rodrigo Caraballo v Sajid Abid
Ali Kiydin v Hemi Ahio
Frida%20
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Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
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Match info
Karnataka Tuskers 110-3
J Charles 35, M Pretorius 1-19, Z Khan 0-16
Deccan Gladiators 111-5 in 8.3 overs
K Pollard 45*, S Zadran 2-18
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Brief scores:
Manchester City 3
Bernardo Silva 16', Sterling 57', Gundogan 79'
Bournemouth 1
Wilson 44'
Man of the match: Leroy Sane (Manchester City)
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
