AN ARTIST FULFILS HIS VISION
By Eye TV India Bureau
Critic's I-view
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First, we congratulate all those connected with 'Slumdog Millionaire' as it has already bagged ten nominations. As usual the movie has also created a movie. While a section of the audience as well as our super star Amitabh Bachchan is opposed to its content depicting India as a poor country with slums around. The other section denies it that it's a documentary on Dharavi, known for slums in Maharashtra. They also say that it's neither a Western attempt to portray the poverty or squalor of the east. If we analyze the movie critically, we may conclude that it's the vision of an artist. In fact, the producer Danny Boyle also follows the typical Bollywood route: Two brothers coupled with a pretty woman witness the usual ups and downs in their lives. They face every thing like any ordinary person does; the slum, the underworld, the brothels, the streets, the gutters, as also pains of the separations and the joys of the reunions, the friendships/rivalry, love, and what not.
According to the story, two cops played by Irrfan Khan and Saurabh Shukla question a young Jamal for cheating in the Indian version of quiz show 'Who wants to be a Millionaire'. They think that a slum dweller cannot answer the quiz. But, Danny takes due note of Jamal's travel from a slum to that of the Rs two million quiz winner! Significantly, Jamal wins even in the wake of the losing his mother and childhood sweetheart Latika during this long journey. He has been optimistic though unlike his brother Salim.
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The movie is set in the backdrop of India's most popular metropolis Mumbai. These three protagonists -- Jamal Malik played by Dev Patel, Salim Malik played by Madhur Mittal and Latika played by Frieda Pinto - move their ways. While Jamal, who plunges into no-man's land, grows straight, Salim as Gunmaster trusts only his Colt 45, and joins Mahesh Manjrekar's gang. Latika, an orphan, is no exception; she faces the brothels and lastly a gang. This is another matter that she continues her love for Jamal. Incidentally, Jamal travels a long way from a slum to the glamorous hot seat of the Quiz Show. He faces a problem there too inasmuch as an arrogant quizmaster played by Anil Kapoor wonders how a boy selling tea can know all the answers on `My Show'. Anil doesn't reconcile to the tea seller winning Rs 20 million as prize money. He doesn't trust the `darshan do ghanshyam ' hymn that Jamal believes in.
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Apart from the story, the USP of the film is its state-of-the-art cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantel coupled with the hypnotic music, especially "Jai Ho" and "Ringa Ringa" by AR Rahman. Simon Beaufoy's script based on Vikas Swarup's novel is equally great. Acting-wise, Jamal (Ayush Mahesh Khedekar), Salim (Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail) and Latika (Rubina Ali) are mesmerizing as they face the cruel world in their stride, and even without losing out on their childish buoyancy and kinship! Child actors Ayush Mahesh Khedekar (as young Jamal), Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail (Salim) are the soul of 'Slumdog Millionaire'. Loveleen Tandan has done her casting job too well. Madhur Mittal is excellent as the grown-up Salim and Dev Patel is decent. Freida Pinto does justice to her small but significant role. Anil Kapoor and Irrfan Khan do create an impression.
This is to remind that the movie is likely to hit the Box Office as the already running Akshay Kumar starrer hasn't made a much headway and has rather given way to this movie by vacating a number of theaters. Among the other three releases today, only Mahesh Bhatt's 'Raaz-The Mystery Continues' stands a bit of competitor.
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