slumdog millionaire

Once in a while something comes up and makes me come back and write. This time it's the British Indian movie Slumdog Millionaire.

I would have to accept that my first impression of the movie was that it's was pretty good and real , and definitely not a feel good. (Tha't what everyone terming it) The movie shows the slums in Mumbai , children getting blinded for money , police beating up the suspects , riots on the streets of Mumbai, prostitution etc. How can such a movie be feel good.

Oh ,then it stuck me. It's feel good for the people in west to see and realize how lucky they are , that the economic upheavals are nothing compared to the life in slumps of Mumbai or India in general. That's when i get convinced that the director didn't make a movie but actually a real life documentary and it should have been named "Poverty and Crime in India" not Slumdog Millionaire. It has not shied away from showing even a small detail that doesn't show India in bad light. I feel sorry to accept that a lot is not untrue. 
Take for instance the scene at TajMahal. I accept that there is a sewer on the back side of Taj , but couldn't the director have at least avoided adding that into the scene of Taj in the backdrop.

Then there is a classic scene in which a American Couple is duped by the kid and all there Car parts are stolen. In a very American way(as projected by Boyle) they hand that boy a  100 $ bill , pronouncing that's what a normal American would do when cheated. Second half is much better and bollywoodish. 

And I would like people in India to take it as a bitter pill and do something. And for those in west , Mubai is not a slum. The slumps in Mumbai are because Mumbai is the economic capital of india, and people from all parts of india come there for better life. There is a limit to which it can catter to these people and the rest are left to a life in slum. 


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