The real India is what we are!! Not what we imagine!!!
If we need to be lulled into thinking by Bollywood biggies, that India is a land of gorgeous looking beauties and rich people - think its about time we wake up to realities too. Nothing wrong in watching a Karan Johar film and feeling good about ourselves. It is not just reality.
Yes it is harsh to watch the slums on movie. But it is real life for millions. Millions who have got in there, for no fault of theirs - why shouldn't the world know about it. If you are ashamed, too bad!! Find another country to live in or Do something about it!! In whatever little way you can. Including a round of applause for the movie making it to the Oscars
The outrage over Slumdog in India makes me laugh. First of all why do people always need something to get in arms about. And if you are going to get upset - why not get upset at the actual slums in Mumbai, the child prostitution, the child labor, the gangsters, the fraudulent game shows, etc. Slumdog depicts the reality of what life is like for some in India. If you don't like the depiction change the reality.
We have watched karan johars K3G and made it a big hit. Never mind how good or bad the movie was. But the point is it shows indian hero flying in helicopter to come and attend his mothers puja and indian father flying in his chartered plane to visit his son from india to USA just because son fleeting mentions that he is missing his daddy dear. Wow..does this makes india richest country in the world? It is ridiculus to blame slumdog Millionaire as a movie projecting india as a country filled with slums and filth just because it tells a tale of 2 borther and a girl grown in mumbai slums. Let us just rejoice in the success of our very own ar rehman, anil, dev, frieda and off course irfan and other wonderful indian actors. It was wonderful watching anil kapoor jumping with glee at golden globe..jai ho..!
We have watched karan johars K3G and made it a big hit. Never mind how good or bad the movie was. But the point is it shows indian hero flying in helicopter to come and attend his mothers puja and indian father flying in his chartered plane to visit his son from india to USA just because son fleeting mentions that he is missing his daddy dear. Wow..does this makes india richest country in the world? It is ridiculus to blame slumdog Millionaire as a movie projecting india as a country filled with slums and filth just because it tells a tale of 2 borther and a girl grown in mumbai slums. Let us just rejoice in the success of our very own ar rehman, anil, dev, frieda and off course irfan and other wonderful indian actors. It was wonderful watching anil kapoor jumping with glee at golden globe..jai ho..!
In between all this slumdog bashing, we are conveniently forgetting one thing. This film is based on a book written by an Indian Author. All that Danny Boyle did was take the story from the book and convert it into a beautiful movie. He remained as close as possible to the book unlike some movies like 'Hello' which inspite of being based on ' One Night @ he call center' was a disaster movie. So we should applaud Boyle for giving us an honest potrayal of the book on which his movie is based. If the protagonist in the book was from slums, how is it possible for Danny to show that the hero of the movie as a rich guy. As for the argument that this movie potrays India as a third world country, all i have to say is that...we are a third world country...it is a fact...but that does not make any of us hate our own country..we should be proud to be Indians and try to make it better place to live in
Re: Westerners are lying
by optima on Jan 22, 2009 01:54 PM
roflma! i luved the book, hoping to catch the movie b4 rabid & pandering politcos ban it, i cant catch it b4 sat, will it last till then, sigh!
Re: Westerners are lying
by Preetham on Jan 22, 2009 08:30 AM
True... I don't know why so many people are reacting negatively to the way Mumbai is depicted in Slumdog...
Let's not live in a state of denial.. Slumdog is a brilliant film executed perfectly by Danny Boyle...
His love towards India and Mumbai can clearly be seen...
Re: Westerners are lying
by Arnab M on Jan 22, 2009 09:45 AM
Wake up dude! Your sarcasm is not lost on anyone. Nobody denies that our country is poor, is corrupt and has many warts - contrary to what you blithely assume. It is just that we do not like this darker side of ours to be glorified ad infinitum. We hate it when foreigners shout from the rooftops about how glorious the poverty in Mumbai is! It is very evident that you have a large amount of venom inside you! Spit it out bud. Spit it out. Before it corrodes you completely. Your supercilious blabber cannot hide this darker side of yours!
Seems to be a landmark film. But AR Rehman's music in this particular film is not award worthy. When salaam Bombay was released, a similar atmosphere of appreciation prevailed. Now it has become an old lady with few takers. Give it time. Will it have as much impact, say after 2years, as of today?
Re: Slumdog
by cynic on Jan 23, 2009 01:47 PM
Time will tell. For that matter, how many movies in the recent past(the last 10 years) have stood the test of time?
