Slumdog Millionaire --- A SAGA: Really?????

“Rags to Riches”!!
I heard about this movie when I was living the “cast away” life in Lubbock (no TV... hence no connection with the entertainment world)! I first read about it on my friend’s blog and from what I read... she was really excited about seeing it! This friend of mine is one cool gal and does really fun stuff... and as I share her taste in many things... I was sure I was going to be super excited about this movie even before I knew anything about it!! That’s when I Googled Slum dog M! As predicted I was intrigued by the plot of the movie.
Later I found out that it was being played in select theatres alone! Then I was fascinated by this movie! Had to see what the hype was all about.....what was so very unique!
In my first attempt to see it.....I tried to motivate my friend circle to go watch it... but the movie hype hadn’t reached them as yet and they weren’t convinced! Then I saw the promos of this movie. What I deduced from it was that it’s the Brit version of our KBC-Kaun Banega Crorepati (and the American WWM- Who wants to be a Millionaire)! Aah!



After all the promos make it look like a low budget film... which it most likely was! So I sigh and try to watch it online....no such luck! Simultaneously a swarm of questions were buzzing in my head!

The first question among many to cross my mind... what rather who exactly is a slum dog?? {Yes... I am kinda uninformed... but that doesn’t stop me from learning something new everyday!} Here’s what I learnt the title translates to “a nobody from utter poverty who becomes a millionaire”! Putting this together with the concept of KBC (yes I insist on calling it KBC... that’s how I saw and remember this television show) SDM certainly had a good script! Something novel atleast!

Question 2... Is this a hindi movie?? I mean the director isn’t, and the title certainly don’t sound so! On more research with Google... yes it is! So what if the director and his vision along with the editing personnel aren’t... the actors were! The entire concept and storyline was focused on a certain class of Indians!
Meanwhile....Another attempt at watching SDM: I tried to catch a show while I was in NYC... but saw a broadway show instead... Come on... where else would we have seen Grease!!!

Finally it was on the first day of the New Year... when I finally managed to watch this flick that too online!

My first reaction to the movie was.... really?? Is this the same movie that’s been talked about?? I mean what’s so great about it?? It does seem like a low budget film with just a good plot! Frankly I liked the child actors’ performances much better than the adults! To be fair they have better roles to play!

My problem with this movie is that the director has shot about 80 percent of the first half in Dharavi- biggest slum in Asia! And since I am from Mumbai, anyone who has watched this movie expects me to identify with it! For the record....except from the outskirts of Dharavi which everyone going to the domestic airport has seen...all of the rest of it is as alien to me as others watching it for this for the first time!
To make the movie real the director has included horrors faced by street children in the name of prostitution and child labour and their life as beggars! He has focused on the squalor and utter poverty! He even went far enough to shoot the substitute for public bathrooms used by residents of the slums! Even the schools were portrayed as single rooms made of metal sheets that were crammed with many children!

And it’s true that most of the social wars (riots) fought involved such slum dwellers but in retrospect, when you are filed with unimaginable rage and frustration day after day, even a small trigger is enough to cause a blast! And sadly most of the times other parties like politicians in the recent times and the British during independence were responsible for triggering it! Unfortunately India is still paying the price of having fallen to the “Divide and Rule” policy of the British that divided the country on the basis of religion giving rise to much of today’s hatred! One noteworthy point here is the response of these so called slum dwellers to the “Bombay Blasts”.... sadly which have become almost a routine!
I was present on the scene of one of the many blasts to have taken place in Mumbai. Let me tell you... it was these slum dwellers along with other locals who helped people....the wounded... literally carried them to hospitals, cleared the carnage and pulled out burning bodies. This was before the police and other officials arrived on the scene. They used whatever little of their earthly possessions they had to help those trapped and injured. In my opinion to help selflessly when they have soo many worries and troubles of their own is benevolent.

What proportion of even the poor really live like that?? May be about 60 percent.... but then compare that with the ever growing population of Mumbai!! And not all of the above is true! There is no city in this world where the poor and homeless are safe. Be it a third world country or the affluent countries of the west! Sadly prostitution is a reality that is faced by most governments around the globe. The problem with India is that its struggling with its population which is making is resources scare! To be fair, India is still a young country.... in terms of years since its independence. Its 62 years old which is not a very big number considering its history and more importantly its size! It has faced problems that are at par with apartheid.... and in fact it is still facing it under the name of reservations and caste system.

But India has come a long way since its independence. The progress could have been faster but there has been progress none the less. Indian education has improved tremendously! Contrary to what’s been shown in the movie, Indian public schools run by the government are large. The student to teacher ratio may still be on the bigger side but that also means that greater number of children are attending school which IS a big step! The literacy campaign has worked its wonders as girls (very few girls attended schools before) are finally joining school with the boys. India has had to fight many demons and she is steadily winning. To encourage education of the females not only school but even college is free for girls in India.

Something to appreciate is the medical system which is free to all who cannot afford it. The government hospitals have their shortcomings but they are answer to God’s prayers for the poor who cannot afford health care.
In terms of pregnancy and childcare, the government not only subsidizes majority of the medicines and drugs but even provides free vaccinations. Furthermore the government allows 5 days free stay after a normal delivery including free food for mothers and child care... this is something which I have not heard of in western countries. Even abortion was made legal for the first time in India and the right to choose was left to the women! Now that is what I call progress. To stand up against odds and help whenever and however they can.... not just look pretty and great when you have it all!

India has had its short comings but for them to be broadcasted like that seemed tasteless. The people who are living that kind of life shown in the movie are courageous and do not care for the sympathy which the director seems to be trying to beget! Each day is a struggle for them but they face it like any other normal human being would. They are scared, angry, frustrated which is what the movie has captured throughout. What I liked about the movie was the emotions it captured and portrayed! The affluent west has many things to learn from the people of the slums.... who live in spite of such deprivation and more importantly.... manage to be happy when they can! The movie is a lesson for the part of the world where each day is a new opportunity to grow and live...... and for people who still do not know how lucky they are and the amount of hardships they never have to endure..... and for people who waste food, paper, oil like earth has a never ending supply of each. I believe this movie is a reminder of how lucky and fortunate we are if we have a roof on our heads, a safe place to live and food in he kitchen!




Unfortunately I know that majority of the people will not see the movie like that! They will pity and empathize with the slum dwellers of Mumbai! For such people I have one thing to say, their (slum dweller’s) sprirt and zest for life is to be appreciated and not pitied.... because they do not choose to live like that.... infact they choose to live inspite of being forced to live like that!
I was happy to see the SDM win at the screen actors guild award..... but unhappy to hear Anil Kapoor’s speech. Initially it was great to have a familiar face among the many glittering stars.... even his introduction of how he ran away from home in desperation to be an actor was endearing and sweet. But when the cast won and Anil Kapoor said “It’s unbelievable to win”????.... I was irked! He was representing Indians out there and made it look like he did not deserve it! I hope to God that he has a better speech prepared if and when they win the Oscar!