Slumdog Millionaire
According to the experts – the ‘academy’, this is perhaps the equal 8th best movie ever, winning 8 academy awards. That puts it behind movies like Ben Hur (11) and Titanic (11), and on par with Gone With the Wind and Ghandi. That makes this ‘rags to riches’ movie a must see, and so I did.
It’s the story of a Mumbai slum dweller who becomes a contestant on the Indian version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” With every question, we get a flask back into the life and hardships of Jamal, and how it is that this uneducated ‘slumdog’ has accumulated his general knowledge. Jamal, and his older brother Salim have learned all of their lessons the hard way. Their mother was killed in a religiously motivated riot when they were young, and people have been taking advantage of them ever since.
British director Danny Boyle says of his movie: “It is much deeper and more profound … than a game show. … I love that about it. It is a chance to get yourself lost in romance.” Yes it’s a romance too. Jamal and Latika meet as fellow slumdogs on the run, and Jamal has always had a soft spot for her. But his lot in life means he is unable to provide for or protect her, even from his own brother. So Jamal enters “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” not in the hope of winning money, but in the hope of finding his lost love, and having the means to live happily ever after with her.
The movie also bears all the hallmarks of a trying-to-win-awards movie. Its themes include poverty, disability, injustice, faithful love, innocence and the loss there-of, abuse, purity of heart, mindless religion, all in a non-linear plot. The storyline on the surface appear simple - the pure hearted naïve hero finally gets his girl, and the bad guys get their just rewards. But you don’t have to dig deep to find contradictions. What about all the other ‘slumdogs’ who didn’t escape? And the boy who was intentionally blinded by a repulsive man because blind beggars make twice as much money – when he is killed you feel justice is done. But what will happen to the 20 odd disabled children previously under his ‘care’? At least they used to get fed, and had a place to sleep. And it’s Salim, Jamal’s brother, who kills this man. This action simultaneously frees Latika yet sets his life on a destructive course. And having freed Latika, Salim then takes advantage of her. And then Salim … you get the idea.
So when you walk out of the picture theatre you feel a little confused. I ought to feel happy that Jamal got his girl and won the game show, but I also get that life in India remains very harsh and unjust for millions. How will they escape? Was Salim’s choice of a life of violence invalid? Was Latika’s choice to be beautiful-but-taken-advantage-of-girl invalid? What other choices did they have? And when, as younger boys, Jamal and Salim steal shoes to etch out a living, was this wrong? And the game show host … again, you get the idea.
When you walk out of the theatre you are not quite sure what to think. It’s as if Slumdog Millionaire is trying to be like a piece of modern art. The movie has rich content, deep themes, but you as viewer need to interpret them. The movie almost speaks, asking a question of you – what do you think I mean? What will you do with me, and the issues I raise?
And that is what makes the picture both brilliant, and hopeless. It’s a social commentary that avoids saying the simplistic, brings into focus the depressing and confusing, looks at it from various view points, and then says … nothing. And the fact that we, along with ‘the academy’ all stand around and applaud says volumes; about us, our culture, the things to which we aspire, and our distinct lack of a ‘compass’. Sorry I think I’m getting Slumdog confused with another movie – something about an Emperor and his lack of clothes.
So watch the movie, rejoice with Jamal, cry with Salim, and if you feel moved to combat poverty in India, start more TV game shows for slumdogs.