SLUMDOG MILLIONARE (To each their own)

Receiving eight Oscars is the ultimate moment of happiness for makers of the movie and for many Indians too as Slumdog millionaire has broken many records today at the coveted 81st Oscar awards ceremony. The story about a Mumbai tea boy who rises from poverty and enters a television quiz show to win millions and find the love of his life, won eight Oscars of the nine categories in which it was nominated at the 81st Academy awards. The film is based on a novel,Q&A, by the Indian writer and diplomat Vikas Swarup and was adapted by Simon Beaufoy, the British screenwriter of The Full Monty.

Slumdog Millionaire is set in the city of Mumbai and depicts the poverty of the slum colony of Dharavi from where the hero hails. The movie revolves around the story of how a slum boy named Jamal(the lead character) gets a chance to participate in the famous television show 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' and finally wins it. All questions asked in the show are related to the hardships faced by him in his life.The common Bollywood theme is escapism with songs and dance. So Slumdog Millionare deviates from the standard pattern of a Bollywood film. It's a bridge between a Hollywood and a Bollywood film as the starcast comprises of Indians, but has been produced and directed by Britishers.

Slumdog Millionaire has received bouquets in the west and brickbats in our country.Resulpokutty after receiving the Oscar was right when he said that he created history. He is the first Indian to receive it except of course for Satyajit Ray who received it honorarily. A.R.Rahman winning two Oscars is also the first Indian to receive two in a succession on the same dais. It was pleasure to watch him perform live singing Jai Ho before the western audience.

Cliched terminologies as 'rags to riches story','poor man's extraordinary journey' have been associated with the movie. It has also cropped up every time with a new controversy testing Danny Boyle's patience, who was even heard saying in one of his interviews "In India it wouldn't come as a surprise as anybody could protest against the film". We have a wide range of names cropping up from Amitabh Bachan to Shahrukh to Dharavi's slum dwellers, the latest in the list being Arundhati Roy either accusing or defending it. Some Indians found the word “slum dog” in the movie’s title to be insulting to slum-dwellers.

Arundhati has a different opinion on the movie."Poverty sells but the poor do not. The film gives false hope to the poor that they too could become millionaires one day. Watching Slumdog Millionaire was like speeding on a highway with lots of potholes".

Bachan said that "if SM projects India as [a] third-world, dirty, underbelly developing nation and causes pain and disgust among nationalists and patriots, let it be known that a murky underbelly exists and thrives even in the most developed nations."

Shahrukh Khan, slamming critics of Oscar nominated 'Slumdog Millionaire' has said that the film presents to the world a ''visually appealing'' India. Shahrukh, who has read the original book as well as the script said, "Isn't that (poverty and slums) a reality? If you (critics) have a problem with the word slumdog, why don't you look positively and see that there is a word millionaire or 'crorepati' also."

Whatever reactions it has faced (to each their own),it has succeeded in captivating audiences all over the world and has swept away the much awaited most coveted award 'THE OSCAR'. The feelings in all Indian hearts is understandable as so its a moment to cherish. So enjoy for its another occasion to feel proud to be an Indian.

Smile Pinki:Another movie shot in India (though a small 39 minute documentary)also received an Oscar. The documentary was made by distinguished film-maker Meg Mlyan. A real world fairy tale, which celebrates the work of the plastic surgeon Subodh Kumar Singh in providing free surgery to fix the cleft lip of poor young children, won the Oscar in the best documentary (short)category on Sunday night.The film shot entirely in Varanasi and villages of Uttar Pradesh focuses on Pinki Kumari whose life is transformed by the simple surgery.