The story in a nutshell: "Slumdog" is a movieabout a boy who is on the verge of winning a game show (on the likes of “KBC”or “I want to be a millionaire”), however the host (who unlike the real life hosts
who at least pretend to be super courteous) smells a rat and hands the lead characterover to the cops.
Over at the cop station the story unfolds based on eachquestion asked by the host. Each question spans from the childhood to adulthoodof the main lead. The main character manages to convince the cops that he isinnocent and deserves to move back to the hot seat of the show to answer thefinal question which would earn him the prize money.
The concept is based on the “Boeke” prize and “Commonwealth writers”prize winning novel “Q and A” by author Vikas Swaroop.The inter woven story reminds you more of the yester year Indianmovies. It tends to take you on a nostalgic trip into the Amithab(angry youngman era) or even more like a Parinda (revolving around a similar story line).
The inter woven story is of two brothers born in the scum’s, initial survival fromthe fittest, taking on crime to survive, falling in love and sticking by it, Brothers sacrifice of life for his sibling, and finally love triumphs alls welland lots of cash.
The commendable part is the intricate study done on theslums and yester year movies done by a foreigner director Danny Boyle. Also thecamera work is very picturesque in the initial half. When the film plays onscreen the texture reminds you of movies like “Salam Bombay” or even a recent “Bendit like Beckham”. The screen texture is more like a camera used in the earliertimes. Looks like British bred directors have a fancy towards this kind ofscreen texture.
When you look at the film from an Indian movie goer point ofview, it surprises you as to why a film, which doesn’t move you at all, go into a category of “best drama” award. Therehave been plenty of films made by our desi directors which have moved people ofall ages into tears, anger and laughter, but have been turned away from theaccolades they deserved.
So when you see the film sweeping the BAFTA, GoldenGlobe and the Academy awards you think of questions like “was the film lobbiedat the awards” “did racisms get the biased view” “did Dan Boyle and team knowpeople in the respective panels” or finally “should our Indian movies sansubtitles and dub the movie into English for simultaneous release abroad.
Indians are definitely proud that a movie with our culture, actors, crew and money (Indian producer) gets awards but then we what about therest of the classy cinema which missed the accolades and deserved each bit.