110. Tigers; movie review

TIGERS
Cert PG
94 mins
BBFC advice: Contains distressing scenes, mild bad language

Blink and you would miss it but there is a very brief reference to Nestlé during Danis Tanovic's much-delayed movie about a powered milk scandal.
Then the company at the centre of the tale becomes Lasta - a fictitious multi-national.
Did the makers of this controversial picture think that nobody would notice the reference or, that by just replacing the name of the company, people wouldn't make the link?
Ok, I shouldn't be too harsh on those who finally brought Tigers to the public screen - after all, few would want to take on such a big name for fear of legal reprisals.
And a shout-out to Emraan Hashmi. He is one of a rare breed of Indian superstars who are willing to create cutting-edge movies.
He plays Ayan, a salesman of Pakistani pharmaceuticals which are a quarter of the price of those of the major companies but struggles to establish a relationship with the practitioners.
Thus, his life changes when he passes the interview for Lasta - a company which bribes Pakistani doctors and nurses to take its powdered formula with luxury gifts.
For quite a while, he and his wife (Geetanjali Thapa) live the high-life on the back of his successes but then he is greeted with evidence of harm being caused to children by the formula.
Thereafter he becomes a fevered campaigner against the company and the product.
This is not giving the movie's game away because it is set within a conversation between film-makers (led by Danny Huston) and Ayan over the legal stumbling blocks of creating a movie about his case.
Indeed, the opening sequences surround the Skype discussions about the story.
Questioning from the producer, director and lawyer also expose flaws in Ayan's approach - indeed, he is far from the perfect hero.
These debates go a long way to explaining why media companies don't always take up the battle against the multi-nationals.
It might also shine a light upon why this film is not made with a Pakistani cast and film-makers and relies on Indians instead.
Regardless, it is important that these critical issues, particularly the campaign to encourage breastfeeding over bottle feeding, do come to the fore.

Reasons to watch: Hard-hitting attack on corruption in Pakistan
Reasons to avoid: What is the truth and what is not the truth?

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? Nestlé has rebutted the claims of Tigers but has stated that it will not be taking legal action but will "continue to openly discuss the facts about our policy and practices on the responsible marketing of breast milk substitutes with all interested stakeholders."

The final word. Emraan Hashmi: “I am proud of all the movies I have worked on in Mumbai and they have given me my identity and helped run the kitchen. But they did not do full justice to the artist in me and I never fully lived the characters I was playing. I was never able to be in the moment all the time. In Tigers, I was working with a director, Danis Tanovic, who had a clear vision and allowed the actors to bring out their best." 

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