Slumdog Millionaire ... a truly entertaining fantasy. If you have not experienced it yet then that's the first thing you should do instead of reading further. With 8 Academy Awards, 4 Golden Globe Awards and 7 BAFTA Awards, the film itself has lived its reel-life story in real-life.
I had seen this movie on its release in US and two things made a lasting impression on my mind that I am writing in retrospect. First is the unique story about how so many unrelated and tragic events can help Jamal, the protagonist, answer the tough quiz questions. Kudos to Simon Beaufoy. The second is the acting done by the child actors from the Mumbai slum, very effortless. And now there is a third, 3 Oscars coming to India!
The movie had its share of noise when it was released in India. There was a debate on the way slums and harsh realities of the life in the underbelly of Mumbai were shown. Then there was discussion about whether this was a India film or a foreign film. But why these questions? The simple fact is that its just a work of fiction with a sole motive to entertain the audience and maybe win few awards. This not the first time a story has been based on slums and what if it was; slums are a fact and every metropolis around the globe has an underbelly. I guess the natural social balance creates it. I think we should just be proud about the fact that its a good movie with India, and Indian cast and crew at its heart.
But as the saying goes ... all's well that ends well. The biggest moment for this movie would surely be the 8 Academy Awards, out of which 3 came to India! A R Rehman (2) and Resul Pookutty (1) gave us a real happy beginning to 2009!
I had seen this movie on its release in US and two things made a lasting impression on my mind that I am writing in retrospect. First is the unique story about how so many unrelated and tragic events can help Jamal, the protagonist, answer the tough quiz questions. Kudos to Simon Beaufoy. The second is the acting done by the child actors from the Mumbai slum, very effortless. And now there is a third, 3 Oscars coming to India!
The movie had its share of noise when it was released in India. There was a debate on the way slums and harsh realities of the life in the underbelly of Mumbai were shown. Then there was discussion about whether this was a India film or a foreign film. But why these questions? The simple fact is that its just a work of fiction with a sole motive to entertain the audience and maybe win few awards. This not the first time a story has been based on slums and what if it was; slums are a fact and every metropolis around the globe has an underbelly. I guess the natural social balance creates it. I think we should just be proud about the fact that its a good movie with India, and Indian cast and crew at its heart.
But as the saying goes ... all's well that ends well. The biggest moment for this movie would surely be the 8 Academy Awards, out of which 3 came to India! A R Rehman (2) and Resul Pookutty (1) gave us a real happy beginning to 2009!
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