Has anybody watched Slumdog?

Hey guys.Bolstered by a few positive comments I am tempted to write something more.Still don't know exactly where I want this blog to go,but we'll see.How about a movie review?

So I watched this much talked-about film "Slumdog Millionaire" online a couple of days back.Since I do not know how many of you have watched the film (the film I believe is releasing in India later this week), I would not give out the story.I will try to be a secretive as possible.The brief outline of the story is that a slumdog from Mumbai goes into Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,wins a crore (10 million in the film which is mostly addressed to the American audience) and is on the verge of the winning 2 crores.The fact that a slumdog knows the answer to such questions which have fooled people more knowledgible than him,cannot be digested by the show's host, Anil Kapoor who manages to give a convincing performance and makes no bones about mimmicking Amitabh Bachchan.During his interrogation by the police (Irrfan Khan as the Inspector I felt was underutilized and Saurabh Shukla as the constable was as good as ever),the protagonist, Jamal (Dev Patel) tells them how he knew the answers to every question:each question has a story to tell - the story of his life.What the police make of his story and whether he indeed wins the game ultimately shall remain secrets here.You should watch the film for the answers.

I gather there have been a few controversies about this film:whether this is a truly Indian film,whether the west still loves to feed on a diet of Indian poverty and so on.I would steer clear of any controversy and just say irrespective of regional and ethical concerns,it is a good film - well made and enjoyable- which you should watch with a free mind.The direction is good.The acting is excellent.Madhur Mittal in the role of Jamal's elder brother Salim gives a powerful performance and should be somebody to watch out for in the future.Freida Pinto in my opinion did not have a role where her true potential could be tested.Dev Patel on the other hand gave a nice,measured performance.His usually impassive face (whether a birth defect or an inability to act) complimented his role which focusses on the protagonist's lack of attachment with most things.The child artistes deserve a mention too.

What I liked about this film was its simplicity in the midst of apparent complexities.It is after all a love story in my book,shrouded in clouds of crime,mistrust and money,with a dose of the so called middle/upper class elite's refusal to accept somebody with an unimpressive background to be good enough to answer 15 questions on a quiz show.Is it a true story?Who knows:it might be.Is the story plausible - why not?And the best part for me was not the guy knowing the answers or being on the verge of becoming a millionaire - it was the reason why he chose to come to the show which made the film special for me.The only thing which kept me wondering was whether the music by A.R.Rahman was good enough for a Golden Globe victory.

But the lasting image from the film for me would be the encounter between a young Jamal and a childhood acquaintance - a delibertely blinded beggar who can identify a $100 bill just by touching and smelling it- appreciating Jamal's luck for having been able to get away from the same fate as himself :"You are a rich man now....you saved yourself - I could not."That- for me-told a chilling story.

It is a good film readers - go watch it.