Golden boy goes global, scripts history S Rajagopalan | Washington
Music maestro AR Rahman has become the first-ever Indian to win the prestigious Golden Globe award as “Slumdog Millionaire”, the rags-to-riches drama set in Mumbai, swept the awards night in Beverly Hills, California, late on Sunday. The underdog film, made by British director Danny Boyle and based on a novel by Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup and dominated by a mostly unknown Indian star cast, has emerged as a top favourite for next month’s Oscars. The film that became an instant box office draw in the US grabbed four top awards, including the best dramatic picture, the best director and the best screenplay (Simon Beaufoy), besides the best original music score for Rahman. It is set to open in India this month. As the Golden Globes traditionally set the stage for the Oscars, the nominations for which are due to be announced next week, there is high expectation among Indian film buffs. Rahman, the music sensation ever since he burst on the Indian filmdom with his score in the Tamil film “Roja” in 1992, received the award in the name of “a billion people from India”. “Unbelievable. I thought, I would not win, so anyway thanks to the almighty god for bringing me here...Danny Boyle, Fox pictures, all my musicians in Chennai, Mumbai, and the billion people from India,” the Chennai-based composer said in a brief acceptance speech. Actors Anil Kapoor, Dev Patel and Freida Pinto were among those present with producer Christian Colson, director Boyle, Rahman and Beaufoy on the stage as the film got the top award. Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan was at hand to introduce the film along with actress Pinto. He offered to do a “pelvic” Bollywood dance on the spot. “Golden Globes, or the GGs as we very affectionately refer to them — your mad, pulsating affection for our film is much appreciated. Really, deeply appreciated,” Boyle said. “We really weren’t expecting to be here in America at one time, so it’s just amazing to be here,” said Beaufoy, whose winning script was adapted from diplomat Swarup’s novel “Q & A” about an orphan boy who wins the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and tries all the while to reunite with a lost love from his childhood. The film overcame other odds as well. After filming was completed early last year, the relatively low-budget “Slumdog Millionaire” lost its American distributor, yet it has gone on to become a big contender for the Academy Award. After Warner Brothers closed down the distributing firm — Warner Independent Pictures — Fox Searchlight took over the $14 million film’s release. http://www.dailypioneer.com/149681/Golden-boy-goes-global-scripts-history.html
