After being held up in development since 2006, “Tigers,” by Oscar-winning filmmaker Danis Tanovic, was finally released overseas in 2014. It made its way to Indian screens in 2018, and is based on the Nestlé baby formula scandal that took place in Pakistan. The film revolves around Ayan (based on real-life sales rep turned whistleblower, Syed Aamir Raza Hussain) and his battle against a greedy and powerful multinational corporation (MNC), whose unethical practices posed a danger to many innocent lives.
Ayan is a man struggling to make ends meet as he tries to sell locally-produced medication in his hometown. Sadly, it doesn’t sell well since pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and governments prefer more expensive products sold by big names over cheaper alternatives. Eventually, Ayan is lured into a high paying job at a corrupt MNC. However, once he is made aware of the company’s shady practices by a young pediatrician named Dr. Faiz, he decides to become a whistleblower. Along with a documentary crew, he seeks to bring justice to the countless lives that hang in the balance if authority figures and citizens continue to turn a blind eye to the company’s harmful practices.
As a family man himself, Ayan must choose between his high paying job, or his responsibility towards families like his own. These families face dangers; not only from greedy corporations, but also from gullible and naive sales reps like he once was. More often than not, they end up contributing to the problem rather than the solution. They succumb to the bait of better prospects and riches which await them if they reach their sales quota.
The movie exposes greedy MNCs such as Nestlé (cleverly renamed as Lasta in the movie). They are notorious for milking profits off the vulnerable. This includes not only unemployed youth, but also underdeveloped nations and families who can’t afford drinking water nor sanitation facilities. They push their products (in this case, baby formula) in order to make a quick buck; this is despite the atrocious living conditions of these families. Tanovic’s film showcases the results of such horrendous malpractices.
Due to impoverished and malnourished mothers opting for baby formula as an alternative to breast milk (and using impure water to mix the formula) countless newborns lost their lives. “Tigers” paints a scary picture of the same; Dr. Faiz shows Ayan around a hospital ward filled with malnourished babies and their grief-struck mothers. The scene is truly heartbreaking, and will remain imprinted in the minds of viewers.
But the scene also helps sets the gritty tone of the movie from the get go. What’s scarier still is that a lot of the scenes in the movie are filmed in the modern day at local hospitals and slums. The Nestlé scandal took place in the ‘90s; it proves history repeats itself and powerful MNCs often still go scot-free.
“Tigers” stands out as a must-watch movie. It has a gripping script, hard-hitting scenes, and a strong performance from Emraan Hashmi. As Ayan, he plays a hero who is flawed and who feels cornered in a web of lies.
In the end, Ayan must stand for truth, even if his own countrymen view him as a traitor and blackmailer. The supporting cast features household names like Adil Hussain, Satyadeep Misra, Supriya Pathak, and Geetanjali Thapa. They all play their parts very well despite a limited screen presence. “Tigers” will definitely leave you with a lot to chew on.
*”Tigers” is available to stream on Zee5 in India. We were not able to find any streaming locations in the U.S. or U.K. at this time.
