The one with all the thoughts

The movie slumdog millionaire has evoked varied reactions from everyone ever since it was screened at the telluride movie festival, more so after the plethora of awards that it has started to amass recently. Personally, I liked the movie very much. Though I would have to confess, the only reason I watched the movie was for the background score by ARR (stunning score, btw). The story is basically simple; a boy from the slums goes on a TV show to reunite with his lost love and goes on to win the show. But he is suspected of cheating, and during the course of interrogation the story unfolds. 

Logically this film has numerous flaws. To point out a few, the fact that two kids from slum could such accented English is something that is not possible. So is the fact that the book “three musketeers” was included in the syllabus of a local school in Mumbai. But no complains anyways since it was unavoidable. It is an English movie and hence they had to talk in English if they couldn’t help it. Running the entire film with subtitles wouldn’t have been advisable. And I am still wondering why ARR decided to use “aaj ki raat” song when the video was that of “fanaa” from the movie yuva (aayutha ezhuthu) , which was a really great song.

Set in an Indian background, the slums of Mumbai to be specific, the direction by Danny Boyle and cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantle  are excellent.The score by A R Rahman, is needless to say, a clear winner.But as always, there has been a lot of criticism lately, including the one by BIG B in his blog that the film portrays India as underdeveloped 3rd world nation. Maybe it does, but what it portrays is REALITY. As ARR himself said in an interview when asked about this, what we have to do is take notice of this problem and try to solve it, rather than shy away from it. It is true that to the west India has always been an underdeveloped country with slums and more people below the poverty line. But instead of slamming the movie, what we can do is make some initiatives that will change their opinion. True, it is easier said than done, but still it is not impossible. But again much depends on those who have the power, the politicians of the country. And when we realize that, it sort of becomes remotely possible (not impossible, because nothing is impossible).

As I said, slamming the movie would be irrelevant and unfair, but one has to agree that nothing of this sort would have happened if the same movie had been directed by an Indian.IMO, If it had been shot by an Indian, then critics would have viewed that as the director’s way of telling the people of India to wake up and take some initiative to improve the lives of the people of the slums. The fact that a foreigner, (specifically a Brit) has done this has a complete opposite effect. Definitely a Brit can’t have made this effort aiming at improving India. The West generally portrays India as a 3rd world country only because of the reason that, it can then prove its greatness and growth to the world. Will any British director be ready to shoot a movie that portrays the actual thing that happened during its rule in India? 

All that we can do now is work for the improvement of our country. Sure we have developed a lot in the past. There are a lot of skyscrapers than there used to be previously, there are a lot more cars and we are still improving economically. But this doesn’t hide the fact that there are still slums and children with no proper education or even the basic necessities. But with corrupt politicians and equally corrupt political system, looks like it would be a long time for something to happen. With those with the power and money to actually do something content to be in their own world of lavishness and happiness, change is far from happening. 

With these thoughts, here is one more entry into the blogging world. Hope it treats me well :P  

adios!!