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!

The Three Musketeers!

"”One for all, and all for One”

I know these certain 3 people who make me feel like I am looking at the 3 musketeers...... "ONE" in the above statement that they very fiercely believe in is RELATIONSHIPS!!
The irony here is that their view points are far apart... enough to form an imaginary triangle!!

Names of 3 Musketeers in my story:
Happy: My coolest friend (cool as she literally has a cool head that keeps her practical and in control all the time)
Snappy: Someone extremely dear to me who is Judgmental, stubborn and an intense person!
Naughty: She is my most practical friend who has the courage to get up if she ever fails (she rarely does)!

I believe that relationships are messy and complicated.....more so like liquor that only grows stronger with age... the older they are.... better the “kick” you get out of them!

The first musketeer “happy” is all hopeful and optimistic and likes to believe in the idea of “family” and happily ever after... once she has conquered all the demons of her life that God randomly conjures in all our lives {BTW...HATE His sense of humor!} So this “happy” is all sweet and scared at the same time. She has all these expectations that fill her days with anticipation and excitement. She looks forward to meeting “someone new” and hates it at the same time as its way too novel and unfamiliar, especially when you are contemplating the big “M” {M in my dictionary stands for Marriage which the second musketeer “snappy” believes to be a MIRAGE}!

The third musketeer “naughty” is all for fun and massive amounts of excitement! She is not sure whether she likes the idea of the big “M ” but doesn’t have it on her agenda for atleast 4-5 years! Her days are unplanned and she adores the surprise it has in store for her. She lives majorly for herself and is eternally joyful and bubbly. She is verrrry independent and knows can take on the world by herself. There is no stopping this one when there is even a whisper of “fun time” in her vicinity. She frowns at and abuses the idea of the “Big M” as she was once a strong believer in it!

The second musketter “snappy” is midway between the two. She was a hardcore believer in the big “M” until recent happenings that changed her perspective! She finds herself turning into someone more like “naughty”! But she loves “happy” and doesn’t want to ruin her excitement or her optimism. So she is supportive while praying it works out for “happy”! As far is “naughty” is concerned..... “snappy” understands her point of view and finds herself agreeing more with “naughty”!

So when these 3 meet.... imagine how wonderfully weird it must be being!!

Grease!!!!!!!!

Grease is the word, is the word that you heard
It's got groove it's got meaning
Grease is the time, is the place is the motion
Grease is the way we are feeling

Grease Lyrics:

I saw Grease {almost a classic now} for the first time when I was in school.... and I was hooked! To the songs, to the American high school drama and to the general concept of a couple consisting of a simpleton and the college stud {which stayed with me to produce astonishing results!!!!}
Strolling down Broadway in NYC, gaping at Times Square, NASDAQ, and other dazzling monuments of today’s era... me and Aana gave into our temptation of seeing a Broadway show! Our first choice was Marry Poppins (rather my choice) but Aana was not as excited as me.... so we went ahead in search of “Shrek” down Times Square. The neon lit blocks were a wonderful sight for the eyes which made us temporarily forget our search for the musical!

That’s when we stumbled on the enormous “Tickets” kiosk selling discounted tickets to all Broadway shows... yeay! All excited we join the seemingly never ending line but ended up at the counter in less than 30 minutes. I utilized all the 30 minutes to convince Aana to see Grease with me and the darling she is... agree she did! So bobbing up and down with excitement I drift all the way to the theater. The interiors itself were amazing..... made me feel like I had come to an opera! A British couple seated next to us offered to be our photographers for the evening and we had a fun filled photo session! Shortly afterward the curtains parted and the guy playing “Bruce S” glided on to the stage. He entertained the crowd with some rock and roll numbers.... for what I suspect to cover up till the stars got ready for the show! Looking at that guy make me realize that Broadway and all other theater stars adore their work and crave for limelight and admiration. They thrive on it and bloom when the spotlight is on them.... I was amazed at how (this was my first theater show ever as an adult) much these people enjoy themselves! If it were me... I would probably shrink and shy away and hence cannot help gape at their ability to entertain such large crowds and hold their attention for two whole hours! Once I got over this initial awe.... I found the songs to be so-so as I hadn’t heard them before and they weren't particularly foot taping kinds.
Once he glided back out on his “record box” the show opened to the song “Grease is the word” introducing all the supporting characters of the show.... and was amazing! I watched alternating between awe and swooning to the music!
The stage itself was not very big and I kept wondering how they were going to perform on such a small area. The cast expertly utilized it questioning the golden yet controversial saying “Size does matter”!! Once the play began it looked as though the show had been built such that it was just enough for them to perform, not a single step more or less!
The singing, the dancing the acting.... it was all flawless and effortlessly done. The actors were purrfect for the part and knew how much of performance was required where.... not once was anything overdone! The show was choreographed such that it was the best part of the show.... all the actors (the supporting ones) were allowed to have a song on their own so that none of them looked to be secondary!! The only let down was the prom dance sequence, the one in the movie is spectacular but the same in the show is much shorter and clumsily done.

{Movie dance sequence: }

The director seemed to be in hurry to finish the show and shopped off many of the scenes of the movie..... he was fine till the interval but after it, he seemed to be in a bit of a hurry to finish it off! Apart from that tiny part, the show was a thorough entertainer worth every bit of money I spent to watch it.... right from the start “Grease is the word” to the curtain call!

{Curtain Call sequence from broadway:

I loved the way they bowed and accepted the crowd’s cheers.... especially the way they introduced the band playing at the top of the stage!
I have just one thing to say.... if you liked the movie you should, must, better see this Broadway show!!!!!

WELCOME 2009.... we have been expecting you!!!

I absolutely LOVE new things… be it a recent best seller {novel}, stylish handbags or flashy shoes! I adore the excitement it holds and cannot under any circumstances save them for a special day or time! I HAVE to use it at the very first opportunity…. Flaunt it a little, parade around with it. As a kid, I used to really look forward to the first day of school (that enthusiasm lasted for a total of 5 days alone)….. adorned with the crisp school uniform (hated the chocolate brown color…. Had to wear it for 12 years….. Had ENOUGH of it….have never bought a brown shirt/trouser/dress since then!), shiny new school bag, slightly better shoes; the rainy ones (hated canvas shoes…. As I do not like the concept of closed shoes), brand new books ( love the “new book smell”), fancy new lunch boxes and water bottles........carrying all that, I used to skip to school, singing a merry tune {La..la..laaaaa…la)!

So it comes as no surprise that at the end of each year I await the start of a new year with bountiful of excitement and enthusiasm! I plan and plan and plan so that at New Years Eve, at the stroke of 12.... I can be at some place screaming “YEAAAAY” !! Both my aunt’s birthday and parents anniversary fall on the 31st of December and for the last many years we have been celebrating it together. Our families gathered at my aunt’s place with some other family friends and we partied all night... my family is mercifully full of enthusiasts...( it’s in the genes I tell you) and we used to have a fabulous time!

Then I moved to the US for the much talked about master’s degree and for the last two years am celebrating it here! Many won’t believe it (some won’t agree), but it’s more fun in Mumbai than here.... I miss the familiar raucous that accompanies New Years parties, the general sense of celebration that is almost contagious, the array of fireworks, drunk uncles ranting some silly songs and recollecting certain anecdotes entertaining us all except their respective spouses.... : D : D!!

The common thing between New Years Eve in both countries is the way I feel at midnight.. Jubilant... as the New Year to me is a blank slate to be filled with wonderful things; another opportunity to do things I want to! Also accompanying it are the fat promises in form of resolutions.... for some peculiar reason, I have never made resolutions... somehow I feel, resolutions has a “this is going to fail” ring to it! But this year I am going to make one! “To live a healthier lifestyle” and am deliberately declaring this publicly which means my will power is at test! Let’s see how long this lasts!