Probably eventually inevitable having read the book (2008). Adapted and directed by Ramin Bahrani (2nd Chance (2022)) for Netflix.
This version struggles to convey the interiority of the main character (Balram, ably played by Adarsh Gourav) as he behaves obsequiously in most scenes; his sly scheming is confined to a very few big moves and emotional explosions. Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra Jonas as his employers/masters, freshly returned from the USA, are a coarse mix of credulity and hand wringing. Some stuff is omitted, like the details of how elections are rigged. There are many subtle self-references such as Balram not recognising his nephew/cousin. "Locusts" was apparently preferred at time over "cockroaches" as the slur for the lowborn. Having Aaron Wan play Wen Jiabao in a brief scene towards the end was a poor idea.
The acting is good, the cinematography effective, the direction works and there's still enough humour, so I conclude the faults lie in the adaptation: the characters are too shallow. But somehow the script got Bahrani an Oscar nomination. At times it reminded me of Winterbottom's Trishna (2011).
A.O. Scott drew the obvious comparisons with Slumdog Millionaire (2008). Seongyong Cho at Roger Ebert's venue.
