True crime stories have become so dominant in our media that it’s hard to stand out. Tiger 24 is technically a true crime documentary. However, the killer here is what makes Warren Pereira’s documentary stand out.
The perpetrator, as the title may suggest, isn’t a human: it’s a tiger. During Pereira’s almost-decades-long production, the tiger (named T24) allegedly kills four people who enter its territory. The last killing prompts action: T24 is taken from its sprawling home to a cramped zoo. This prompts human action, as many believe T24 was defending its own territory and isn’t the mindless killing machine people make him out to be.
Pereira originally wanted to make a simple nature documentary, but the film is much more than that. He explores issues of geography, politics, and history with relation to T24’s fate. We discover that the natural habitats for Bengal tigers have decreased, primarily due to human intervention. The tigers live near villages (including Ranthambore, where these “crimes” occurred) and there is no real division between the two, only an easily penetrable wall.
Pereira’s feature debut doesn’t completely exonerate the tiger. He spends time with the victim’s families as well as animal rights activists. He doesn’t draw a line in the sand inasmuch as he gives equal footing for both sides to air their case. Is T24 a monster? Was he just defending his own territory? The audience will have to figure that out on their own. The film would work well for those interested in wildlife, Indian history, and nature documentaries.