This presentation was presented by presenter in a National Seminar organized by Department of English, MKBU on Research Prospects in English Studies. This presentation deals with An Adaptation Study: Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger from Novel to Screen.

1. (National Seminar on RESEARCH PROSPECTS IN ENGLISH STUDIES)
An Adaptation Study: Aravind Adiga's
The White Tiger from Novel to Screen
Department of English,
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University
Presented by
Jheel D. Barad
Department of English, MKBU
Gujarat, India
Presented at
National Seminar on Research prospects in English Studies
Department of English, M.K. Bhavnagar University
Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India

2. INTRODUCTION
Adapting novels into films has been a popular practice in the film industry for years.
However, transforming literary works into visual storytelling requires significant
changes in the narrative structure, characterization, and dialogue.
the intersection of literature and cinema by examining the adaptation of novels into
films as a research prospect in English language studies.
The critically acclaimed Netflix film, The White Tiger, based on Aravind Adiga's novel,
will be analyzed to highlight the importance of adaptation in contemporary cinema.
aims to provide a deeper understanding of the ways in which narratives can be
transformed across different mediums.
It demonstrates how adaptations can offer new dimensions to the author's words and
offer something new and exciting to audiences while still honoring the source
material.

3. ADAPTATION
In article ‘Adaptation and Appropriation’, Julie Sanders defines adaptation ‘Adaptation is,
however, frequently a specific process involving the transition from one genre to another: novels
into a film; drama into a musical; the dramatization of prose narrative and prose fiction; or the
inverse movement of making drama into prose narrative’ (Sanders 19).
Literary adaptation to film is a long-established tradition in cinema starting with early cinema
adaptations of the Bible
First- adaptation of literary classics
Second- Adaptation of plays to screen
Third- adaptation of contemporary texts which are not determined as classics but have
remained in the canon of popular literature.
Adaptations are generally expansions or interpretations
of the original storyline whether they closely follow the
source material or interpret ideas culled from the original work.

4. Stam argued, ‘A filmic adaptation gets caught up in the ongoing whirl of intertextual reference
and transformation of texts generating other texts in an endless process of recycling
transformation and transmutation with no clear point of origin’ (Stam).
‘as acknowledged transposition of a recognizable other work or works, a creative and an
interpretative act of appropriation salvaging and an extended intertextual engagement with
the adapted work’ (Hutcheon 8).
As John M. Desmond and Peter Hawkes have noted, the reasons why literature inspires
film-
● Already finished the creative process
● Modified texts may draw a larger variety of viewers to the neighborhood movie theatre
● To teach the masses about their literary heritage
● The expectation of financial reward
There are three different kinds of adaptations, according to Louis Giannetti in his book
Understanding Movies
Literal
Faithful, and
Loose

5. ● The White Tiger
● 2008
● Aravind Adiga
● Dedicated to Ramin
Bahrani
● Satire to critique
India's political and
social systems
● The story of a poor
Indian villager who
becomes a successful
entrepreneur by
breaking free from the
constraints of the
traditional caste
system.
● The White
Tiger
● 2021
● Netflix
● Ramin
Bahrani
LEAD- IN TO THE TEXT

6. ANALYSIS
ASPECT NOVEL FILM
Narrative Style First-person narration by
Balram Halwai;
Letter form; time and space
Third-person omniscient
narration;
Email form; Time and space
Reception Highly acclaimed novel Generally well-received film
adaptation
Pacing The novel is a slow-paced,
character-driven story
The film has a faster pace,
relying on plot-driven action
and suspense
Changes in Storyline The novel includes more
details about Balram's past and
his relationships with his
family, particularly his brother
The film simplifies and
streamlines the plot, removing
some subplots and characters

7. ASPECT NOVEL FILM
Political Commentary The novel has more direct
commentary on Indian politics
and social issues such as
poverty, caste, and corruption
The film tones down some of
the more explicit political
commentary in the novel to
focus more on the story and
characters
Characterization All characters well developed Chosen characters, lack of
their growth
Use of Humor The novel uses satire and dark
humor to critique Indian
society and highlight the
absurdity of Balram's situation
The film also uses humor, but
in a more lighthearted and
entertaining way
Ending The novel has a more
ambiguous, open-ended
ending
The film provides a more
definitive, satisfying resolution
to the story

9. CONCLUSION
● Adaptations of novels into films can be challenging due to the differences in the
mediums and the need to condense a lengthy story into a shorter runtime.
● Changes to the story or characters may need to be made to make the story more
engaging for a visual medium.
● Successful adaptations require a balance between staying true to the source
material and making necessary changes for the film medium.
● Adaptations can provide a new way for audiences to experience a beloved story
and can introduce the story to new audiences who may not have read the book.
● Adapting a novel into a film can be challenging due to the need to condense a
lengthy story into a shorter runtime.
● Changes to the story or characters may be necessary for the film adaptation to
work.
● For those who have not read the book, the film adaptation can serve as an
introduction to the story and may inspire them to read the book.

10. Works Cited
Adiga, Aravind. The White Tiger. Free Press, 2008.
B, Megha, and Shima Mathew. “From Text to Screen: A Reading of the Cinematic Representation of
Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger.” Journal of Arts, vol. 10, no. 3, 2022, pp. 254-65.
Bahrani, Ramin, director. The White Tiger. Netflix, Lava Media, ARRAY, Noruz Films, Purple Pebble
Pictures, 2021.
Cremona, Patrick. “The White Tiger book to movie differences | How faithful is it?” Radio Times, 22 January
2021, https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/white-tiger-book-film-movie-differences/. Accessed
4 March 2023.

11. Desmond, John, and Peter Hawkes. Adaptation: Studying Film and Literature. McGraw-Hill Education,
2006.
Giannetti, Louis. Understanding Movies. Pearson, 2014.
Hutcheon, Linda, and Siobhan O'Flynn. A Theory of Adaptation. Routledge, 2013.
Pahwa, Nitish. “How Faithful Is The White Tiger to the Man Booker Prize–Winning Novel?” How Faithful Is
The White Tiger to the Man Booker Prize–Winning Novel?, 22 January 2021,
https://slate.com/culture/2021/01/white-tiger-book-movie-netflix-differences.html. Accessed 4
March 2023.
Sanders, Julie. Adaptation and Appropriation. Routledge, 2006.
Stam, Robert. “Beyond Fidelity: The Dialogics of Adaptation.” University of Idaho,
https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/engl485jj/stam2.pdf. Accessed 4 March 2023.

12. THANK YOU