Site: http://www.slumdogmillionairemovie.co.uk/
Verdict: An engaging fare.
Cool!: Slumdog Millionaire is a fine entertainer and the credit for it primarily goes to its director, Danny Boyle. A compelling narrative is used to unfurl a more or less typical story in an interesting and gripping fashion, making for a decent watch. The curiosity in the minds of audience so as to what led a slum-dweller to reach the last question on 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" is well-maintained throughout and continuously fed with an engaging non-linear narration of the protagonist's past. There is a constant transition from the present to the past and back, but it only adds to the excitement of the plot. The camera work is exquisite, with some beautiful shots throughout the film, right from the slums to the train sequences. The performances are decent, though none of them truly stand out (enough to be given an award for it); enforcing what I said earlier, Slumdog's primarily a director's piece. The kid actors do a wonderful job of their time on the screen; Anil Kapoor is fine as the show's host, though Irfan Khan is more or less wasted.
AR Rehman's music leaves an impression; used as a background score in the film. The guy is at his creative best, using gun shots and train beats to create tracks that are fresh and extremely apt for the particular situations composed for. A beautiful mix of Indian and world music, Rehman does deserve an appreciation for this effort (though I feel the song ‘Jai Ho’, that is receiving all the accolades, is not the best of the lot; there are far better tracks in the album).
The movie primarily moves through the underbelly of Mumbai, providing glimpses of all that’s wrong here; whether it be the begging racket, the thriving underworld, communal riots or even prostitution; and like the Big B, some people might feel that India has been incorrectly portrayed. But the point to remember is that this is a straight out masala film, and it should be looked at only from an entertainment perspective. Trying to judge what impression of India would the world have on watching it just because it has been directed by a well-known foreign film-maker and meant for the world audience is not fair (so many Indian films are based on the same issues, but nobody cares what impression would they leave on outsiders just because we know they won’t ever reach them). The director has tried to tell a story, and has done a good job at it; bringing Indian actors, music and locations to the forefront while doing so. Probably that's all the movie needs to be appreciated for.
Yawn!: The story on the whole is kind of predictable, especially for us Indian folks, for whom every second movie has the same rags-to-riches plot. Also, the switch between hindi and english (being spoken by actors) also seems wierd at times, and that’s again probably only for us.. to imagine kids in slums or the underworld goons speaking out fluent english does seem far-fetched.. but being a movie meant for the global audience, probably it was necessary for getting them to understand the story, mixed with the right amount of local flavour.
_____NIKHIL_____
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i appreciate ur effort, nikhil. i want to share my experience. i watched the film from here in Dallas. Being the only indian among other americans, to be frank, i felt awkard and a bit embarrassed, so i agree with big b's comment.and its clever from the director's part to utilize the bollywood style to create an entertainment. but i do admire the great editing and bckgrnd score.
ReplyDeletethats was me, hashim
ReplyDeleteNikhil: Hey Hashim! .. good to hear from you.. I was wondering who was that.. just recently started this blog with another friend (Ashim), i hope you didn't miss the blog pic (heh..) .. as for slumdog, i understand your point of view as well.. hoping to hear back from you on the blog again.. take care man.
ReplyDeleteI agree with "Anonymous urf Hashim" ---that "its clever from the director's part to utilize the bollywood style to create an entertainment".As far as acting,music,cinematography,engagement element...I felt all was at its creative best!
ReplyDeleteHowever it leaves me a little uncomfortable to read ---"But the point to remember is that this is a straight out masala film, and it should be looked at only from an entertainment perspective."(Nikhil) ...specially when I realize that 'Slumdog millionaire' is the first depiction of our country in western pop culture and no entertainment is good just for heck of it!
The messages which 'slumdog millionaire' gives may be "not" so obvious, breathing in westernized culture...but is quite perspicuous for the mastermind of this so called globalized world(I hope u knw whom I am referring to).It would be no wonder if it also wins Oscar!
The movie shows Indian slums and brutal poverty objectively but not "India" (which it claims to do and is being appreciated for!). The story is about poor!! and only way out which it suggests is either being grateful for the "American way" (I am referring to the american women scene in the movie) or ...getting trapped by the capitalists.The whole Idea of Kaun Banega Crorepati ---dus ka dam---Miss world Contest!!... is to be a prey to the "super power" And end of it justifies it by answering the question, its destiny and its written! For Global audience this movie is just like ---India history written by western hands...Indians were dirty people, they ate snakes,they are blacks orthodox and backwards and whites have the burden on their shoulders to empower them (do read the poem by rudyard kipling --The White Man's Burden)
Please excuse me for being only critical however I just wanted to bring out this aspect of the movie which I personally felt...I appreciate this film as a piece of art and still feel any product becomes creative not only by what it is but also in which context it is made, how the audience appreciates it. And the time in which the movie is made and the way it is made it very well satiates the need of capitalist world and encourages the "American way".
Nikhil: Well Apara.. the poverty in India is a fact.. whether some outsider shows it to the world or we point it out ourselves (so many indian films are based in slums!).. doesn't make any difference. Anybody could just step into India and see it for themselves (try travelling in a local in Mumbai, and you'll see nothing but that). The slums, the riots, the brothels, the underworld... they're all a reality.. And you should be thankful that elements like the Ram Sena have not been depicted, they are far worse than what has been shown! This is the country we are living in, take it or leave it.
ReplyDeleteBut anyways, the movie isn't about this filth and dirt, its about love and success, about some very basic emotions. I believe you're just too concerned with who's behind the camera directing the film or what impression people are getting of seeing all that, rather than how good the film is in itself as a composition, as a story. By the way, the story of the film is based on the novel Q&A, the author is an Indian, not a foreigner.
P.S. As for the shot concerning the American woman in the film, it tries to show the capitalist mindset of the west, nothing more.