It has been a wonderful weekend, quite refreshing –jaunted out after a long long time (thanks to the freezing weather).We had been to CT for skiing. Though, I didn’t try it, Vishal did and he enjoyed the experience. So what was wonderful in it for me?? I Got to eat yummy home made food (which was not cooked by me) and watch a movie in the cinema hall (yes, I love watching movies only in the hall) after about 10 long months. Thank you- Kavita and Manjunath
The movie hall was full of Americans, only the two of us (Vishal and I)were Indians. We sat there in pride as this was the movie (from India) which had won 8 Oscars.But our pride soon converted into embarrassment as the movie progressed.The way we are embarrassed, When we have surprise guests at home and they catch us in the midst of a disorderly house (thanks to my lill one who is out to ransack the house every minute of the day).It felt exactly the same way watching my home country depicted at its worst, amidst American guest.
I didn’t know if I wanted to request all my American friends there to shut their eyes & ears or to order the cinema operators to quit playing the movie immediately.
Vishal was so overwhelmed that he wanted to declare to everyone there “This is not true”. Am sure that, the majority of Indians wouldn’t have seen that face of India just like the way Vishal and I haven’t seen it before.
But as we got ourselves together we began to appreciate that this is real...it’s no fiction! And we ought to accept this fact no matter how disgusting it is.
For all those of you who haven’t seen the movie let me tell you something so that you will reckon with my feelings better. The makers of the movie have left no stone unturned to portray every negative that exists in India. Starting from the unhygienic and poverty struck slums they take you through the communal riots, red light area, child abuse, tourists being swindled, impure water sold as mineral water, child labor, police torture, local goons ready to kill innocent people for a few bucks.
At the end of the movie, it was hard for me to believe that there were no better movies to win the best picture Oscar award?? (Or was there some other reason)
I have definitely seen better movies than this one, haven’t you?
PS: If I for one feel that I would do anything to take this movie off screens …why doesn’t the government of India share the same feeling. On the contrary, I have heard that this movie has been made tax free!!
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11 comments:
I beg to differ. I have couple of question though.
Firstly, to every Indian who takes ownership of Slumdog. There is nothing to be proud of that movie. It is not Indian. It was just made in India with Indian stars as the movie plot is based in India. It is unmistakably a British movie. Why are we taking ownership of a British movie?
Secondly, to every Indian who feels that this movie should be taken off the screen. Why are we scared to face reality on the screen, let alone we live with and witness everyday the same. Are we offended by the Indian reality being recorded by a Foreigner?
I do agree that this film is not worth Academy awards. But no matter whether it had won or not, the plot is the reality in India and we, Indians, should learn to accept.
I tend to agree with Arun.
The movie doesnt deserve so much of attention, its just a movie.
I think Oscars, India and slums have a relation that goes back to Salaam Bombay, which I believe is the only movie from India that has won at the Oscars.
@Arun-Firstly,Anything made in India is Indian:) anything which has efforts of indians in it is again Indian (atleast for me:))
Secondly,Yes i am offended by 'that part reality' of India recorded by a foreigner.India has a beautiful side too..why has that been missed out???
I disagree with Kavita here...a movie that has got so much publicity is no longer "just a movie"..it is "a message" and what are we trying to convey here! I believe that some of the things shown hurt our sensibilities as the collective we, but then it is not something positive that we would like to show. Honestly, at some point, the movie seemed to me like a documantary!...
To me, accepting a fact/reality is a sign of courage but advertising everybody about does not strike a chord. And here with the govt giving it a tax free status or even allowing to show something like that in the name of art is worrisome. On a different line of thought, if the govt does do something about it, I will very happy :)
Anything made in India is Indian.
There are so many Pizza houses in India now. According to your logic, is Pizza, having baked by "Indians" with "Indian" effort, an "Indian" dish? ;-)
India has a beautiful side too..why has that been missed out???
First understand the plot of the movie. It is about Indian slums and not about the posh society. They have recorded what they should.
Undoubtedly, every coin has two sides. Yet, we can only see one of them at a time.
A signature below Arun's comment!
Anyone who has spent living an aam admi's life in Mumbai knows that what we see in the movie is true. What you feel at the end of the movie is that vomiting sensation that you get when you decide to dwelve into the real social problems that we still continue to have.
There is a section of movies that take your money & entertain you, and another that takes your money & enlightens you. And it is that enlightenment of these movies that creats this 'indigestion'.
It is the hippocracy of the rich Indians trying to cover up the poor Indians from the view of the world that causes this frustation...
To me enlightenment without action is nothing more than entertainment!...maybe i m using words more loosely, but in spirit, I tend to believe that!
@Vishal;
That is where our media conveniently closed their eyes. The film makers had formed a trust & invested money for the children who had acted in this movie. The director (Danny Boyle) had mentioned in a recent interview that they had done this & did not intent to make this a big deal initially. The explanation came up when there was an outcry that they made money selling India's poverty.
The trust was setup in such a way (to avoid misuse) that the children would benefit only on education now and the money would be available when they grow upto 18 years old - And one parent had even challenged this trust stating that he needs the money now & what is the point paying it after he grows up!!!
Now, back to the point, what social obligation (in deeds - not lip service) has some of the premiers (e.g. Bib B, Priyadarshan etc) who had scoffed off this movie had - from the kind of superhit movies they have made earlier?
So, it is enlightenment with "action" in this case & not enlightenment with "lip service" - And talking about social obligation, I believe the cast & crew deserve atleast that.
@Arun,Hope you would have heard the news about the American Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh calling indian IT professionals "Slumdog",IF not
Here is the transcript..
Limbaugh said, while speaking to a caller from Ohio. “If you’re sitting out waiting for a job that’s now being done by a slumdog in India, and you’re waiting for that job to be cancelled, for the slumdog to be thrown out of work, and you to get the job, it ain’t going to happen. It’s not the way economics works.”
So you see what happens when you show only part reality to the world...or jus "one side of the coin".
Sapna:
Thanks to the movie, at least he used "slumdog" to represent Indian techies. If not, God knows, what would he have used!
Do you think his mentality would have changed just by showing the other side? Surely, he knows the other side too. After all, he's a conservative.
Moreover I don't take his words seriously as he's known to make such stupid controversial remarks. One such being, "I hope he [Obama] fails", without realizing that if Obama fails (politically), America would fail too.
Ya Sapna, even i had the same feeling when i saw this movie, really very bad ya, i also don understan y they have given Oscars that too for this movie
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