When slumdog millionaire released, nearly two years ago, I was impressed with the story of fortune, translated in cinema with intertwined crude hidden realities. I liked the movie.
This was story long back. In Milan,I started interacting with people from various ethnicity, regions, countries and received the global impact of the movie. We may be foremost country to stabilize our economy in post recession time or our GDP may be one of most constant in last 10 years but affect of cinema is more intense than stories of Incredible India and news rolls. Oscar win to Slumdog Millionaire was the worst thing which could happen for the India we know, we live in. Slumdog Millionaire has floated a pseudo-image of India in global youth. Those, who ,never had any knowledge about India were induced with these pseudo-opinions, images and conditions in India, which for them are as 'more real than reality. For most youth around globe understanding of India is based on fake reality of this movie.
I don’t deny and over rule all themes addressed in the movie with every question. This is also not about hiding the reality of India from globe but i am against the image which this movie intentionally or unintentionally addressed.This story by Vikas Swarup is a definitely a work of art which weaves around these stark realities and jumps from one to other propagating the idea of ‘destiny’.In the movie this message is addressed very weakly and screenplay delivers all the message or I shall say that screenplay of the movie is so strong that it dominates the idea of the story. I have no grudges against developed world but I take this liberty to asses the state of mind which can desire this movie. I think, this movie is product of fascination to power differential in countries and concentrating on darkest spots in developing nations. A work of cinema which is fascinated by poverty and serving non-digestive contrast as a tool for its success. Very cleverly this movie has managed to incorporate all the problems in any developing country and I would complement Danny Boyle, who has efficiently translated and made it to Oscars. This movie can be seen as a compact work about misery of third world countries which developed countries can enjoy and exclaim “ is this real..?" and thank to god for their good situation. I believe this Oscar is not for the cinematic competence of the movie but for arousing this lost feeling of ‘ecstasy’ about them and ‘pity’ for third world countries.
To sum up, impact of Slumdog Millionaire is not favorable to India. The whole idea of 'destiny' in India, which I believe is the central idea of the story has turned out to be portrait of "Miserable INDIA”.
Tushar Gaur
Milano,2010
