Saturday, January 24, 2009

Salud (Cheers) To SlumDog Millionaire

Well, after a long gap! But it doesnt get bigger than this topic to write about - Success of SlumDog Millionaire. Watched it First Day, First Show- Yes, morning 8:15 A.M. Its amazing and spellbound. Its a beautiful love story, a rags-to-riches story, a story of hope ! I came to know what exactly 'screenplay' means and its significance from this movie.

I want to discuss a few things about what critics of this movie are saying:
1. It gives very bad impression about India to the whole world as it shows slums and poverty.
My Arguments:
i. First of all, does it atleast make the whole of India realize its own condition? Yes we are a third-world country. Mathew Hayden using it in a derogatory way offends us definitely, but we shouldnt be ashamed to agree the fact for ourselves. Lets agree and if possible try to work to eradicate it.
ii. In this world of Internet and Live TV, doesnt the world already know about India's slums. I know how my colleagues feel when they visit India and what impression/stories they take home back. Few days back one of my U.S colleagues want to take the picture of cow on the street to show to his wife.
iii. And in this garb of spoiling image, do we ourselves want to forget the reality and boast about 7-8% of GDP etc? Do we ourselves want to be indifferent towards solving the problem? Are we getting too lazy to address or just recognize the issue and started accepting it as a way of life?
iv. Come to Mumbai or for that matter any Metro and prove that the things shown in the movie are not real. (Except the shitty 'shit' scene). The moment you land in any Metro in India, this is the hard reality that smacks you in the face. Doesnt the plight of child beggars hit you everyday while going to office? Doesnt it make you feel yourself less worthy for not being able to change anything?
2. Danny Boyle is another westener who wants to milk Indian poverty etc.?
My Arguments:
1. Its written by an Indian diplomat, so its not Danny Boyle's imagination, but reality as seen by an Indian diplomat.
2. Few Indian filmmakers also approached the author for making this movie. So anyhow it would have been made a movie. But see the positive, Danny catapulted bollywood/Indian talent to the Oscars.

So i feel its a worth watch movie and please dont feel bad that it shows India in badlight. Feel bad for the state of India and if possible think something about that.

There are some heart-touching moments and dialogues in the movie. Some of the dialogues that haunted me are:
1. When the little Jamal was beaten by a driver, he says to the American tourist couple - 'Want to see some real India, this is it'.
2. During interrogation, Jamal says - If it wasn't Ram and Allah i would have a mother today.
3. Salim to Jamal - India is at the centre of the world bhai, and i am at the centre of the centre.

Music Feedback: (As just a plain music lover, with no knowledge of intricacies)
1. Jai Ho is obviously the best song. Its amazing.
2. Mausam & Escape Instrumental is very very good. This is the background music during some of the peak scenes in the movie.
3. Paper Planes has some funny lyrics. I am trying to understand what they mean exactly. The beat 'All i wanna do is take your money' with gunshots in between is cool..
4. O saaya is OK.

So they got 4 Golden Globes and 10 Oscar nominations. But how many Oscars they can get?? I think a minimum of 3 or 4 for sure. Best Movie, Direction, Screenplay and Rahman! Lets see....

For the time being ' Ahora conmigo, tu baila para hoy' (Now with me, you dance for today).