Well ... This happens to be my first blog of 2009. I did not think that I will write my very first blog of the year about a movie. All my friends who know me well anyways keep telling that I am a movie buff.
But never mind... Will write anyways...
Even before I discuss the goodness/badness of the movie, let me take out my own frustration out about the movie title. "Slumdog Millionaire". Do people around the world still think we are DOGs? And things that bother me too much is: when we (probably) call someone a monkey, they take us to the court, and when they call us dogs, they themselves take it to OSCAR and ironically, here we all celebrate that !! As if we are so hungry and dying for the OSCAR that you can just call us anything, but we beg you on our knees to give us that award.
Now, coming back to the movie. I do NOT think at all that this movie is something very exceptional and extra-ordinary that deserves even an OSCAR nomination. The movie is simple it shows the poor and slum area of the Mumbai and how people live there. And most frustratingly it shows the bad, sad and negative part only. I do not think that only bad things happen in the slums. There are good things also, happy moments also in the slums, and for God sake they are people not DOGS.
Many things shown in the movie are really unnecessary and meaningless. e.g. To know the answer to the question "who was the hero of movie 'Zanjeer'", I don't think they needed to show that boy jumping into the shit-pond. That was a too much scene in the movie. But this is just a start of all those too much and good for nothing scenes. Some things I could not understand from the movie, like why Anil Kapoor wants that boy not to be successful even from the beginning of the show? Or why he keeps calling him a "Chai-wala" and that too without showing any respect? I don't think any television show, which is aired at least in India makes these kind of comments about somebody's profession unless he's a criminal.
Another scene, which was really ridiculous in the movie, was when this boy "Jamal" is beaten by some other "Goonda", when Jamal's brother steals the car accessories of the foreigners who are on the visit to UP. There after getting beaten up the boy says to the Americans, "You wanted to see the real India, so this is the real India". What message does the director want to give to the world by this statement? Is India only this? Do only cruel people live in India? Good and bad people exist everywhere in this world.
Even in the climax of the movie, I couldn't understand one thing. When the Police officer decides that the boy is not lying and he is innocent, why does the constable pours water on the boy mercilessly to tell him that you are going to the show? They could have shown at least that part in a positive way.
According to me it’s just another movie. Definitely NOT something, which deserves an OSCAR. Anyways, I will not at all be happy even if it wins OSCAR. Because I do not think that it’s an Indian movie. It's not been directed by Indian Director, or not been written by Indian writer. I bet, if the same movie would have been directed by an Indian director with a much better direction, nobody on this earth would even have paid heed to take it to OSCAR. But since its a movie on the so called "burning issues" (bull-shit!!) around the world, and that too is directed by a foreign director, it's reached to OSCAR.
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6 comments:
Why so much of anger?
No where in the movie that they showed ONLY SUCH THINGS HAPPEN IN INDIA. It meant THESE THINGS ARE PRONOUNCED AND CANNOT BE IGNORED.
A mockery the Character's (Jamal) profession just shows the basic human mentality "How could he, without any formal education, answered the questions which even the brainy men could not do?"
To draw you to the positive side of the movie, he (Jamal) was smart enough to save his ass when he was in trouble (which needs no formal education), could read through people's brain (sensed the Host's (Anil Kapoor)plot to compel him to answer the questions wrong), and his determination to reach his goal(find his love which he knew would be watching that TV Show).
I guess the movie wanted to show this side of India...
But the point remains the same that they did not emphasize on the positive side of the story, and secondly I do not think there was anything extra-ordinary in the movie, that attracted 10 Oscar nominations. It's just another movie. One more thing, could you justify the Slumdog? Who's dog here? A human? or an Indian?
I bet, if the same movie would have been directed by an Indian director with a much better direction, nobody on this earth would even have paid heed to take it to OSCAR....
I definetly agree with this point... dont want to comment on rest.
Get yourself a life bro ... "slumdog" is not a dog, it doesn't mean insult.
The movie portrays and celebrates an uncommon story of a commoner, who pretty much resonates the spirit of most of the lot. A very positive depiction of the ordinary Indian, who emerges victorious beyond all odds.
Now, whether or not you find it extraordinary enough for Oscars, is personal to you, but you must update yourself with the opinion of the juries of 42 other awards it received worldwide. For most like me, it is definitely a reason to celebrate as most of the cast and crew is Indian-NRI, and that Rehman is being recognized internationally.
@prashy12345, what you say appears correct, but I don't smell racism in it. Boyle has earned repute across borders, any anybody less known (Indian or British) making similar effort could have gone unnoticed.
Hey Ashish,
I agree with you in saying that, if any Indian would have made this movie, it could not get any international attention.
In US, Slumdog's songs (Hindi songs) are airing in radio stations and Rehman got nominations for his music. But truly speaking, Rehman would also be thinking that, he had done far better work in other Hindi/ Tamil or any Indian movie, but his work was unnoticed in international arena. Now he got nominations for songs which normal Indian movies lovers will listen and forget as an ordinary song.
true !!! true !!! true !!!
whatever your views are absolutely true....
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