The problem with Slumdog isn't really the poverty and filth, if we think deeper. Poverty and slums are a reality in India and nobody denies that. The issue is the way they have presented everything about mumbai/india. NOT A SINGLE Indian character in the move is shown in a positive light (except for the main actors who cannot be evil despite being Indian because they are the victims in the story). The ONLY person shown as good and caring is an American white woman in one scene, that too in a taunting manner.
Re: remove that Slum from mumbai instead of barking
by mo jintao on Feb 24, 2009 10:39 PM
you got it wrong buddy, going with your creative vein for a moment here, all the author is asking is to keep the slum (those exist in the so called mot developed countries as well) but dont call the people in those slums as dogs, thats all. better yest would be if the brit director did not take cheapshots by parading cheesy western stereotypes in equally cheesy one-liners but that is too much to ask from most brits
Future of Indias film indutry is in shifting to English, to be global in nature.
Indian professionals, scietists and thinkers have succeeded asnd recognised when they started doing their bwork and expressing their talent in a globally recognised language, that is english. Indian film industry has to come out of the its over dependence of hindi and regional languages and has to shift to English to be global, for more exposure, for survival and to show case its originality, before outsiders export their products for our large englsh enabled audience. English is the language which has won the battle of dominance in world and when we adopt it we too are part of that. Otherwise bollywood will face the fate of Spanish, French, German or rabic language movies. English is the common language for Indians and it is foreighn language to every Indian, love it, marry it, reproduce it and make it your own to succeed.
English is the global medium of communication for the new millenium. make it yours, Bollywood, then surive and succeed. Make Indiam movies with Indian stories, Indian stars, Indian settings, Indian songs, Indian technology in Indian English. This is the way to go, get recognised and to success.
Re: Future of Indias film indutry is in shifting to English
by shh Ten on Feb 24, 2009 06:57 PM
India has got very bad coverage due to this guy AR slumdog the great.All the name that is created in the past gets burried in this newly hyped dog the great
If Rehman has got the oscar for Mangal Pandey, we all Indians should have felt more happy. The westeners exploited everything including Rehaman's talent to put India and Mumbai on a shame map
Sample this comment from The Independent, UK : "it has taken a foreigner to force some middle-class movie-going Indians to look at the poverty that persists here". This is supercilious, condescending and completely racial in content and spirit. Nobody denies that India is poor, is corrupt and has many warts - most westerners think we do not accept these realities. It is just that the average Indian does not like this darker side be glorified ad infinitum. They hate it when foreigners shout from the rooftops about how glorious the poverty in Mumbai is! The inane statements now being dished out by Boyle about how this is a tribute to the spirit of Mumbai is complete balderdash. I suspect that deep down inside, this stark portrayal of the dark underbelly of Mumbai gives a warm feeling of racial superiority to the western world, particularly after having to eat humble pie to some of the good aspects of India. What is so saddening is that most Indians are now bouncing off the walls with completely misplaced, puffed-up pride because of the oscars. Mind you, all the british dailies say that 'England' has won these oscars... Jeez! Wake up guys. This is not your triumph. Just because, Rehman, Anil Kapoor and some slum children were there does not mean that India has won 8 oscars! Another dangerous portent that has already broken out is the tendency of racists in US to call Indians 'slumdogs' while taunting them!
I hope this is not an extraordinary movie to be celebrated for its story and some of the untolerable "scenes" in the movie.
India has produced lot more good movies than this. Only one thing difference is, it is released worldwide and then released in India and it is cheap speaking english. I appeal to all producers/directors to make films in English. Hopefully, we can acquire the world market faster than HOLLYWOOD.
Re: Re: Re: SLUMDOG OSCAR!
by Chohan on Feb 24, 2009 08:32 AM
Do you even understand teh criteria for OSCAR nominations? Slum dog didn't win because of poverty. It won for these reasons: Engrossing script, tight editing, outstanding camera work picking up concrete details,sound mixing and back ground score to produce background happenings, originality and acting corrosponding with the flow of scenes, language, camera work and editing. Roja, poja karutha, botha doesn't deserve OSCARS. Read some film making books and then you will better understand.
Re: Re: Re: SLUMDOG OSCAR!
by XP on Feb 24, 2009 08:46 AM
Ok Lets see this: Karuthamma! Mouna Raagam! >> No one outside South India ever heard of these movies, means target audience is South India. Dont complain if no one knows about these outside that reason. They were not even promoted anywhere else. Rosa and Bombay >> Again South Indian movies, released all over india dubbed in Hindi and other languages with translated songs punctuating the storyline even in most ardent sequences.. Remember, Roja Jaaneman etc. Moreover,, target audience is purely specific Indian pockets and thats where it was marketed. not even Indian Oscar commitee found it worth sending them to Oscars under Foreign Film category. Remember, Oscars are for ENGLISH movies not Tamil, not Telugu, not Hindi or any other language for that matter. So stop complaining if none of those movies ever got any mention simply because they were not marketed, they were not made for world audience and above all, I dont think they worth it. Until, we indians produce some cutting edge cinema for world audience we should not expect any recoginition which is not meant for Indian movies. Period.
Re: Re: Re: Re: SLUMDOG OSCAR!
by narendiran reddy on Feb 24, 2009 11:35 AM
XP.ur right my dear.have read my last appeal to directors/producers?.... which i said already....
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SLUMDOG OSCAR!
by narendiran reddy on Feb 24, 2009 11:50 AM
SdM...has taught lesson to most to make movies in English to make more money..I hope bollywood and tollywood..kollywood would head towards that way..If karuthamma or Mouna Raagam were are all made in English..it would have been popular more than SdM.
Per your statement, there is no problem with film/ indian story..it is about marketing and global view...Ok..you are coming to the point. So films are way better which are produced inhouse. Leave the indian context film. They are some good films. If you guys have not come across, i pity you.
With Reliance Entertainment entering into this sector will have good impact. Also SdM has paved the way for us, now to make more english films for the world market from indian soil.
Who knows there will be remake of Bombay,Roja or parineeta in English too!...Maniratnam r u hearing?
Re: SLUMDOG OSCAR!
by XP on Feb 24, 2009 06:52 AM
And please please dont name anything like Ghajini (How did they mess up with the spellings and hope it to be a masterpiece) or RNBDJ?
Re: SLUMDOG OSCAR!
by anup nair on Feb 25, 2009 09:01 PM
I fully agree with Mr Reddy that Slumdog is not worth watching. Most of the scenes r made to show something unusual in life. If showing unusual scenes attracts Oscar then it is not worth it. Instead "Curious Case of Benjamin Button" surpass all expectations.
I think the producer, director and actors sholud help india removing slum from the profit they make from this movie. And not just the talk. It is a right thing to do
Re: slum area
by XP on Feb 24, 2009 06:56 AM
Thats exactly what was shown in the movie, BEGGING !! Why would they help India removing slums,, when we Indians dont want to remove them. Have you asked Amir Khan to keep his promise to help the school he shot TZP in. for the records, the school is still waiting on Amir Khan to give them the money he promised for shooting the movie.
Are you out of your mind Mr Sreenivasan. There are hundreds of movie that show the slums and you've chosen to malign this one. Why? because it was made by an Englishman?
Your aimless rant will amount to nothing. The world has liked the movie and so have I. You can go on ranting. I am not listening.
and yes some of your comments are downright foolish.
Mr A R Rahman won the Oscars by luck just like in the story of the movie a slum boy becoming a millionaire.As many have already commented, there are many positive and nobler things of India, that one can feature into films to show the world about our country.A film wins oscar provided the music, story and action is different from Indian culture and has more of western styles.
