Slumdog’s controversies
Country is into a big controversy now, “Slumdog Millionare” controversy! Some people says its a great film, will win many awards (especially oscars) etc etc; while some people say’s Slumdog is just a crap film made by the west to spit their sarcasm on the Indian faces. This is something worth writing, I believe.
Well, as a movie based on a fiction novel “Q&A” by Vikas Swaroop (an Indian Strategeist on foreign affairs), I liked it. I liked it as a good movie, well written, well executed, well made music and some interesting performances especially by the kid who played “Jamal Malik” as a child, also as teen by Dev Patel. Movie is well directed by English director Danny Boyle and has a well written screenplay by Simon Beufoy.
But I dont think this movie is worth for its 10 oscar nominations. Though this movies falls into a “good” category, its not sth great! A.R Rahman deserves one for music (its simply superb, I dunno much abt western music though!) and the rest all are okay okay types. I found the direction of hindhi film “Rang De Basanthi” and its plot more praiseworthy than Slumdog Millionare.
So the question is, is slumdog millionare just a spit of western sarcasm and arrogance ?
Amithab Bachan said like this:
http://bigb.bigadda.com/2009/01/25/day-276/
See the one from Arindam Choudary:
http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.com/2009/01/dont-see-slumdog-millionaire-it-sucks.html
Guys above say’s Slumdog people have not portrayed the “actual” India in this movie, which is vibrant, 5-star, with billionares and billionares!! or in short, Slumdog Millionare is just a western shit and a satisfaction of their racial dominancy feel.
On the other side, people like Irfan Khan, Anil Kapoor etc said, “Slumdog millionare speaks about facts in India, there is such a condition that exists”
Irfan Khan also said to CNN that “afterall its just a drama movie!” , well I agree with that 100%. Why so much noises on that?
We also can make one movie portraying the british “fancies” or the “funny” western life, if we want!!…lol!!
Fact is that India has 5 classes of people living here.
Taking a specimen of Mumbai, you will find
1. The low-end people (who lives in slums, one bedroom flats, one rooms etc)
2. The lower-middle class people ( who lives in flats with rent Rs.8000 and above)
3. The middle class people (who lives in the Rs. 15 to 20K range)
4. The upper middle class ( who lives in 30 to 40K range)
5. High Class people ( who lives in luxury)
Afterall the guys who produced this movie, directory Dany Boyle, actors Anil Kapoor, Irfan Khan, musical maestro A.R. Rahman, writer Vikas Swaroop and most of the Slumdog Millionare crew represents the categoey “HIGH CLASS” who lives in luxury!
Now the ones who raised voice against the movie, Amithab Bachan and Arindam Choudary also represents the same.
Now only one question!!
are these guys willing to spend atleast 1% of their total income for the welfare of backward Indians?
Projecting out the Indian slum, producers of movie might have grabbed millions of dollars and will they spend atleast 1 million dollar ? or even a 100$ ??
The “Big” people are worried…some says there are slums…some says there are not!!…while the actual slums remains happy (with what they have and what they love)!!…they might not even know about such a crap going on around!
share your views!
About me! what to say...
January 30th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Arindhum Choudhary is very irresponsible in saying that..
He should know the fact that it was a story! HOW CAN YOU say that a story was wrong!!???
Can you think beyond branding and business? This was a movie guys.. everyone knows what India is… in fact in one part of the movie guy said that =”See this was the slum when we were small and today tall buildings INDIA IS CHANGING” how can people ignore that?
moreover even if you take a political stand on it.. i think that what was shown was not a “LIE”
January 30th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Here is an example,a film with similar background ,CITY OF GOD
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317248/
There is not that much big,but they’ve shown the dark side of Brazil slums.Kids become dreaded killers even at the age of 6-7.Some where we can find some similarities between Slumdog Millionare and City OF GOD.And city if god is a much reputed film(Eventhough didnt claim the oscar).And the success of Slumdog is nothing but the affection or curiosity of western towards Indian Slums.I found Taare Zameen pAr much better than slumDog.As far as rating scale is concerned,i would have given 3.8 for slumdog and 4.5 for Taare Zameen Par.But where is Taare Zameen Par?Didnt claim final nominations for even the best foreign language film!!?Sounds ODD right?
February 1st, 2009 at 11:21 pm
These are unnecessary hypes. It is not a sarcasm, the story demands slums and poor environment, i dont think any one is trying to prove India is like what is shown in the movie.
But its a fact that some foreigners still when think of India have “this picture” in mind (atleast some of them).
What you have said is right, RDB’s direction might be better than SDM, because it has such opportunities, like past being shown during present events etc. But SDM is still better bcoz its a strong story compared to RDB.
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:08 am
@cyriac
No Not at all.. i think RDB has a more strong solid story than SDM.juts check the way they Blended the story,Old and new.Me also think that RDB was much much deserving Oscar than SDM!
February 2nd, 2009 at 2:18 pm
SDM is not comparable to quality of RDB
My Rating:
SDM – 4/5
RDB – 4.5/5
February 6th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
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