Feb 24, 2009 04:19 PM
1345 Views
I am very happy & proud when I read that this movie won so many Oscars. But I know from deep inside, the feelings when I read the news or writing this opening line - are very superficial. There is some unknown disingenuous feeling stirring deep inside.
It is almost the same feeling, a tad stronger this time, when compared to our series of Miss World / Miss Universe wins and some one writing it off saying that all of this is due to cosmetic industry cartel wanting to sell cosmetics & fashion to one billion strong nation.
I do not know the truth but situation takes me into a suspended disbelief of the obvious reality painted in front of our eyes. Or not?
I am a true Indian by heart and what I also meant is I love DRAMA. No wonder, like most of us here, MOVIES IS MY RELIGION and to heighten the experience I watch the movies with a projector at home.
I truly enjoyed Chake De, Lagaan etc where they portray the struggle of Underdogs and their ultimate triumph and victory. No matter how many times I watch the same movies or different versions of similar stories, I feel the same emotional heart swell with joy.. may be we all personally associate to the struggle and hope to triumph in the end!!
SlumDog Millionaire, moviewise, is a little lower in rating when compared to Chak De pure drama perspective but albeit given my love for underdogs, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Though the struggle of the lead character is more or less the same in similar movies (like slum environment, forced begging, child abuse) and is nothing new for Indian audience.
The way the story connects to the contest is very nice. That itself is the deal breaker for the movie and I would recommend it solely based on this aspect. I am sure the pace in Q&A novel would be much more racing due to the obvious strong power of written medium against visual medium.
The Oscar Power -
Who gets what?
If you read from bbc UK, it says, "British film Slumdog Millionaire wins eight Oscars including best director and best picture, while Kate Winslet wins best actress". And if you dare to delve in details it casually refers that the movie was set in Indian background. Is this the same if Blood Diamond won an Academy Award then people in Sierra Leone celebrate it? The struggle that all of us go through is just a canvas for these great film makers?
Reason for celebration:
I am sure all of us are happy to see the twisted fate of Jamal which ended in success due to pure coincidence which in itself gives us enough hope and becomes a strong reason for celebration.
If you compare the movies Blood Diamond and Slumdog where both the countries are struggling against domestic convoluted politics which manifests as War in Sierra Leone and as poverty in India and look back at our celebration, it only proves that we all are die hard optimists.
This also reminds me of a black dot on a white paper analogy, Jamal's success is the black dot and the background poverty is the white paper and we have an amazing ability to see the DOT ONLY.
Politics:
Why has this to be all the time? I do not know much about America's influence / interest in getting this movie Oscar but I somewhere read that it is cool these days to associate as buddies to India & China owing to almost 3 billion captive audience in total which in my opinion is true but the situation is same when we sent Lagaan or Taarer Zameen Par for Oscars. What is different now? Yeah right..
I remember now SlumDog - Millionaire is a British movie set in Indian Background. Last but not the least, some one made a comparision of this to same as Indian cotton being processed in Manchester, 200 years ago, which seems to be so apt.
Final words - Moviewise, I love it (I love any underdog drama). Hypewise, Oscarwise and otherwise there is more drama out of the movie than in the movie!!!!
