Tiger 24: The Making of a Man-Eater is a 2022 feature-length wildlife documentary film written, directed, and produced by Warren Pereira. The film centers on the story of T-24, a male Bengal tiger popularly known as Ustad, who lived in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, India. In 2015, T-24 was accused of killing four people near the reserve, leading to his controversial capture and relocation to a zoo enclosure at Sajjangarh Biological Park in Udaipur. The decision sparked nationwide debate and protests among conservationists, local communities, and animal rights groups, raising larger questions about the coexistence of humans and tigers in India.[1][2][3]
The documentary traces Pereira's decade-long engagement with tiger conservation in India, beginning in 2012. Originally conceived as a nature film, the project shifted focus after the incident involving T-24 and the subsequent legal proceedings. The film highlights the conflicting perspectives of forest officials, villagers, activists, and legal authorities, while also exploring the ecological role of apex predators in India’s protected reserves. Through interviews, field footage, and archival material, Tiger 24 examines the tension between wildlife protection and human safety, as well as the cultural symbolism of tigers in India.
Production
Filming took place over several years in Ranthambore National Park, one of India's most famous tiger reserves. Pereira, who initially documented tiger behavior and tourism, expanded his project after gaining access to legal records and testimonies related to the T-24 case. The film was independently produced and financed, with Pereira serving as director, producer and cinematographer.[4] After a fallout with a Los Angelesproduction company, he decided to finish the film independently, editing it himself in his loft in Los Angeles on an iMac. The project was completed in an indie style with support from fellow independent filmmakers, blending natural history cinematography, investigative documentary techniques, and narrative storytelling. Executive Producers include Ellen Goldsmith Vein, Jeremy Bell, Eagle Egilsson, Howard Barish, Zach Mann and Stephen Nemeth. The film's original score was composed by Kreng (Pepijn Caudron) and the theme song was composed by Mel Elias.[5]
Tiger 24 was released theatrically in India on January 20, 2023, in collaboration with AA Films.[8] The film opened in multiple cities including Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, and Delhi, screening at major multiplex chains such as PVR and Cinépolis. It was the first-ever theatrical release for a documentary centered on India's national animal, the tiger.
The film was licensed by Prime Video India in March 2023 and by NetflixUSA and Canada in August 2023.[9]
Reception
The film holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.[10] Reviews from critics include:
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
