Common Sense Media Review
By Sabrina McFarland
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Wildlife docu debates fate of a tiger; peril, gore, scares.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Tiger 24: The Making of a Man-Eater
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
TIGER 24: THE MAKING OF A MAN-EATER is a documentary that looks at the debate about the alleged murderous actions of a Bengal tiger in an Indian wildlife reserve. With archival footage and photos, illustrations, and firsthand interviews with villagers, forest staffers, activists, and wildlife experts, a visual deep-dive discussion is presented to determine if Tiger 24 really attacked people or if it was another tiger.
Is It Any Good?
This documentary, with its gory, violent images, manages to succinctly analyze with equal fairness the behavior of a wildlife tiger. Tiger 24, who is also known as T-24 or Ustad, resides in India's Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. Tiger tourism is reportedly big business and brings in millions from visitors to the hotels in the region. Over a period of several years, however, four individuals, including forest guard Rampal Saini and a dad to a 17-year-old son named Mohan, lose their lives due to their reported interactions with the tiger. Tiger 24 is declared as the suspect by some, removed from his natural habitat, and placed in a confined environment.
"Seeing a tiger sniffing blood does not make him a murderer," says Sarita Subramaniam, an activist who defends the 600-pound tiger who was allegedly seen at the site of the crime. On the other hand, Valmik Thapar, a leading tiger expert with 40 years of experience in wildlife observations, declares that "this animal must be picked up and taken out because he will always be a problem." Viewers may have to assess the decision about the survival of Tiger 24, who is described by filmmaker Warren Pereira as "kind of a super tiger, handsome, powerful, and he had a cool beard."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the communication of the cast in Tiger 24: The Making of a Man-Eater. How do they also demonstrate courage, perseverance, and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
Filmmaker Warren Pereira mentions in the documentary that to take tigers away from the wild would be to take a piece of inspiration away from the world. Do you agree or disagree, and why?
What are some possible safety solutions for people and wildlife to coexist in the same environment?
The film focuses on the debate among local residents and experts over whether or not Tiger 24 killed four people. What reliable sources are there to support the evidence? Do you believe the animal murdered these individuals? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 19, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : August 1, 2023
- Cast : Warren Pereira , Sarita Subramaniam , Valmik Thapar
- Director : Warren Pereira
- Inclusion Information : Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Activism , History , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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