This is the first – and probably going to be the only - English movie that made me wish I had seen the dubbed Hindi version instead !! Almost completely shot in the underbelly of Mumbai - and with almost exclusively hindi dialogues in the first half, the english dialogues jarr a little when they make their appearance in the second half. However, the setback is momentary and you are soon immersed back in the engrossing tale of Jamal Malik (played by a British NRI Dev Patel).
The opening sequence of the movie shows an 18-year-old Jamal being interrogated by Irfan Khan (playing a police inspector) and Saurabh Shukla (the constable). In the questioning, we come to know that Jamal has been on Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) and is just one question away from the Rs. 20 million jackpot. However, he has been accused of cheating on the show – how else can a Slumdog know answers to questions that have stumped doctors, engineers, lawyers etc ?
And as Jamal begins explaining his answers one by one, we get a window into his past, right from his childhood days – and see how unlikely events in his life give him the answers to the questions. To say Jamal had an interesting life would be to put it mildly – and thankfully Danny Boyle tends to portray most of it in a positive light. I agree the crap scene cant be called positive, but I think it’s the only blot. There aren’t any scenes where the kids are in deep anguish – and lets face it, an 8-year-old homeless orphan in India (even enterprising ones like Salim/Jamal) is going to have some very sad days in his life. Organized crime, pedophiles, the police – the list of oppressors is too long . With so much furore about the movie already, I can imagine what brickbats would have been thrown if they showed the actual misery these children undergo throughout their childhood.
Jamal is very sweet natured and innocent, especially in his childhood years – and shows native intelligence in his grown-up avatar. Salim is Jamal’s elder brother - more worldly and street-smart, while Latika is an orphan girl from the same slum as theirs. All the three characters are played adorably by two sets of children – once when they are 7-8 years old, and again when they are in their early teens. I cant stress enough how well the kids have performed. The fact that they are real-life slum children with no prior camera exposure, makes their performance even more wonderful.
Danny Boyle extracts commendable performances from the entire cast – the lead trio, as well as seasoned actors like Irfan Khan and Anil Kapoor. Irfan Khan plays the role of a cynical but impartial cop perfectly and Anil Kapoor brings the right amount of energy into his role. As far as characters go, according to me, the standout character in the movie was Salim. Jamal is the good sibling, who grows up to become an apprentice at a call center – and the one who is one tv in KBC. Yet in terms of character, Salim with his limited screen presence, outshines him. Salim is a go-getter who is not troubled by morality of things – and is fearless. He doesn’t flinch from stealing from his own brother – as long as there is profit to be made. Yet under everything else, his affection for his younger brother is still there.
Though critics in India have cried themselves hoarse about Slumdog showing India in a negative light – I just dont get it ! Its not like the creators of Slumdog invented slums, forced begging and all the other “objectionable” things shown in the movie. All these things are widely prevalent in India – so what are we complaining about ? Infact we should applaud the commendable skill with which he has fashioned a hopeful and happy story based in these conditions. The entire world is appreciating the movie for what it is – and we should join them.
However, is it worth the best picture Oscar ?
Answer – NO !
While its no doubt a very good movie – it totally misses out on the “wow” moments. And in my humble opinion, an Oscar winning movie should have atleast a couple of “Wow” moments. [hint – watch The Dark Knight to understand “Wow” moments :) ]
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