Nothing in ‘Slum dog Millionaire’ to say Jai ho!!!

By Abhishek Pandey

Tourism ministry of India may think to change its punch line from Incredible India to Horrible India after watching Slum dog millionaire, a famous movie directed by Danny Boyle. The movie’s story is based on a boy from one of the Mumbai slums, a slum dog, who becomes a millionaire after winning a game show of Indian version of “who wants to be a millionaire”. The story idea has been taken from the novel ‘Q&A’ written by Vikas Swarup, an Indian diplomat from Allahabad. Story moves around a boy Jamaal who enters and luckily won the game show for getting his lover back in his life.

Slum dig millionaire which has won four Golden globe awards and also been nominated in 10 categories for the Oscar awards this year, is based on a story, which is a mockery on India for the entertainment and enjoyment of first world countries and their populace. India has been shown in a bad line in this film. The movie shows the abusive police, filthy conditions of Indian slums and sub-human conditions of Mumbai slum dwellers, communal violence, beggary, exploiting orphan children by maiming them and forcing them into beggary, flesh market of minor girls, underworld, and conman cheating tourists and very big-hearted white people and above all copying of TV shows’ concept shows from the west. Declining moral values of Indians has also been shown in the movie when an elder brother rapes the lover of his younger brother in a movie scene.

I am not saying that Mr Boyle has shown all the lies to the world. I am not saying that we can deny the child beggary, prostitution, stealing of concepts from the west and our filthy slums. Yes, I accept that these things exist and prevailing in few parts of the country, not in every nook and corner of the country. Don’t you think Mr. Boyle it is the exaggeration of the facts for your vested interests and for satisfying your ‘we are superior’ attitude. You need not to be as objective as a news producer is, while making news reports but you could have selected few things which could show the real idea of India even in those conditions, which you selected to show in the movie.

I have watched the ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ several times but not even on a single show I found that Amitabh or for that matter, Shahrukh Khan mock any of the contestants in their shows as Anil Kapoor did in the movie by making fun of Jamaal, a tea seller in the game show in the movie. India is not only what has been shown in your movie but far beyond that. We are the largest democracy, oldest civilisation, homeland of most of the scientist, engineers and doctors, having rich cultural and moral values and one of the fastest growing economies of the world. India is the country which has the largest number of billionaires in the world, even more than America, according to a report published in Forbes magazine. But Mr Boyle you did not give a damn to it. Mr Boyle said in a interview that the movie meant to capture Mumbai zest. I think that he must research well to know about Mumbai and India.

Amitabh Bachchan, a famous Bollywood actor said in his blog, “If Slumdog Millionaire 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.” Mr Bachhan’s statements are absolutely right and raise the question why they (west audience) don’t love to watch their existing murky underbelly. It is very nice to see porn movies of others but dirt start hitting the roof when you got to see some one you know. The Times rightly reported in one of the articles written by famous columnist Alice Milles, Slum dog Millionaire is poverty porn.

India has been the leader in making maximum number of movies annually, but its record in Oscar is disappointing. I don’t understand the reason why movie depicting our poverty and backwardness attract the attention of the International audience and award givers. This trend is not new. We have won nominations in academy awards for three films – Mother India, Salaam Bombay and Lagaan. All of these movies are based on our backwardness and our struggle with the life. Only one Indian director, Satyajeet Ray had been given the honorary Oscar award for life-achievement in 1991. The most of his films project poverty of India and its populace. Whatever, he was a brilliant filmmaker. If we look at these facts then it is very hard to believe any justification. It can not be mere coincidence. It is because of preconceived stereotype idea of the west about Indians.

We, Indians, may be happy about the movie for few reasons because it is getting international recognition, and awards. We may be happy because India is being discussed on such big platforms. But it is valueless for me when my country is being maligned and misrepresented with exaggerated facts. There is only one thing good for us to be happy about that some handful Indians including AR Rahman and Gulzar are winning international awards and recognition for their good work in the movie. But don’t forget this is not a Bollywood film at all. It is a purely Hollywood movie and story idea is based somewhere in Mumbai slums. I doubt that if the same movie would have been made by an Indian it could win such big international awards. Indians should not be demoralised from this but should wake up from the slumber and let the world know that India does not live only in slums or we are not becoming rich by chance. Let the world know that All ‘rags to-riches’ stories are not about winning the ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ or any other show. We have the talent and the attitude to prove them wrong. Let’s do it.

And Say Jai ho for real India, not for Slumdog Millionaire!!!

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