Hooray for Bollywood! Is it India’s Year?
Posted on February 7, 2009, 9:10 am, by admin, under
Best Picture.
Slumdog Millionaire
has India abuzz, as the innovative film looks to take home multiple
Oscars. Could it be the first Indian-set movie to win Best Picture
since Gandhi in 1982? Adam Spunberg and Erica Hazra discuss this
Bollywood-style sensation.
By Adam Spunberg and Erica Hazra
Adam: Could this be the year when Hollywood pays homage to Bollywood? If it
happens, it will all be due to Slumdog Millionaire,
Danny Boyle’s extraordinary tribute to the metamorphoses of Mumbai.
America has cheered and sobbed through many Indian films (The Namesake, Monsoon
Wedding, and Bend It Like Beckham to name a few), but never have we experienced
the kind of euphoric adulation being adorned on Slumdog Millionaire. As an
American of Indian heritage, do you agree with the overwhelming response from
fans and critics?
Erica: I do agree with the response from fans and critics. At its heart,
Slumdog
is a Cinderella story, but there’s more to it than that. We see Jamal
and Salim growing up in the squalor of Mumbai. The movie has the
potential to be quite depressing, but instead it is uplifting and
inspiring. There has been some criticism from Indians or
Indian-Americans who say that the movie is exploiting the slums of
Mumbai to tug at America’s heartstrings and that this is not the “real
India.” I think everybody realizes that this is not a documentary; the
premise of a slum kid going on the show, “Who Wants to be a
Millionaire,” to find his one, true love is obviously farfetched.
However, what I enjoyed about this movie was that in between the
fiction, there were some very real elements. I disagree with those that
say this is not the “real India.” Rather, I would argue that this is
India at its finest.
Adam: It’s interesting how you emphasize the dichotomy between
“fiction” and “real India.” Some critics have gone out of their way to
praise the film for its gritty, down-to-Earth presentation of India’s
inner shell, while others have chastised Boyle for surrendering to
cheap sentimentality. Where do you think the film portrayed India in
its genuine form, and was there too much maple syrup?
Erica: I have to admit, the “cheap sentimentality” that I could have
done without was the love story, which I know was the basis of the
whole movie for many viewers. For me, the movie was not a love story.
It was a story about the Indian spirit. Many were upset about the grim
depiction of Mumbai, but while some parts of India (such as the
financial and technology centers of Bangalore and Chennai) have grown
exponentially, others are left behind. A large percentage of people in
India still “live” on less than $2 a day. This is a shameful reality
that is difficult to accept for many middle class Indians. I think that
the movie did a good job in presenting this duality of India. India has
a lot to be proud of, but those areas don’t need help getting noticed.
It is the people left behind that need to be remembered and need the
spotlight that this movie could potentially bring. Yes, the slums in
Indian cities are filthy, harsh, violent, and sordid things take place
such as forced prostitution and child trafficking. However, they are
also filled with an incredible sense of community and everybody has
dreams, desires and hope. As we saw in the movie, slum kids in India
(and I imagine all over the world) are plucky, cheeky, and resourceful.
You haven’t experienced India until you’ve been conned by a street kid!
This is the “Indian spirit” that I’m talking about. It is this courage
and audacity that has led to India’s rise in the past decade.
Adam: I definitely felt the sublime power of the “Indian spirit” you
describe, and much of that is due to Danny Boyle’s frenetic style of
directing. Boyle commands your attention, allowing the horrors to speak
for themselves while supplying a hero you can’t help but embrace. Were
there any particular scenes that stood out for you?
Erica: Yes, definitely! I loved the scene in the beginning of the
movie where the cop chases the two brothers through the slum. What
great cinematography! There’s so much to take in: the people, the
shacks, the animals, the vibrant colors. I enjoyed all of the scenes in
the slum as the kids grew up. It was an exhilarating and beautiful
ride. I laughed out loud in the scene where young Jamal is being taught
to sing by his “benefactor” and demands money, now that he is going to
be a star. That’s an example of the kids’ cheeky, resourcefulness. In
contrast to the slum scenes during the day is the red light district
scene at night, which was unforgettable for me. I am a huge fan of the
documentary, Born into Brothels, which this scene brought back to mind.
I think the movie did a good job in briefly depicting how much harsher
life can be for a young girl than for a young boy, growing up in the
same situation in India.
Adam: A lot of people know about Slumdog Millionare’s
nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, but the Academy
bestowed these honors across the board. In total, the film received ten
nominations in nine different categories: Best Picture, Director,
Cinematography, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound
Mixing, Original Score, and twice for Best Song. It’s not farfetched to
predict a Slumdog victory in all nine categories, especially since the
Academy has shown an affinity for rewarding the same film over and over
again (see Titanic, The Return of the King). Will you be rooting for
this to happen?
Erica: Slumdog has earned these nominations, but there are
a lot of great competitors out there. I do believe that it should
receive Best Director, Cinematography, Adapted Screenplay, and Film
Editing. I was blown away by the cinematography as I mentioned earlier
and filming in Mumbai, on location at a slum could not have been an
easy task. I think Danny Boyle did an incredible job directing, just
considering the sheer number of people he had to manage. In an
interview on NPR he mentions being on location and having to leave due
to a fight almost breaking out because a crew member had bumped into
someone. That could not have been a rare occurrence!
Adam: I’m sure it happened all the time. Boyle faced a number of
unusual challenges, but he seemed to respond spectacularly. Prior to
Slumdog, Boyle was most known for Trainspotting and the apocalyptic 28 Days
Later.
Perhaps this new notoriety will encourage movie fans worldwide to check
out Millions and Sunshine, two remarkable, yet relatively unknown
efforts. When I look back on my Slumdog Millionaire
experience, I’ll remember shuffling crazily in my seat, riveted from
beginning to end, and departing with a sense of having experienced
something masterful. I’ll also remember the incredible resourcefulness
and courage of Salim, Malik’s steadfast devotion to Latika, and the
collective delirium a simple game show can instill in the hearts of so
many. Any concluding thoughts?
Erica: I certainly agree and look forward to Boyle’s work in the
future. I’ll conclude by simply encouraging those who haven’t seen the
movie yet to go for it. There’s something in it for everyone: drama,
comedy, romance. You certainly won’t be disappointed and you may even
come away enlightened and inspired.
Adam: I couldn’t agree more. Jai Ho!
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