Is Slumdog Millionaire A Case Of Poverty Porn? Options

[parag_sankla]

I have not seen the film yet, but have read many reviews. My conclusion based on them is that the western world (British director - the same people who ruled us for over 150 years) has made an excellent piece of poverty porn out of India. The projection of Mumbai and India as a whole is slum (as if there are no homeless people in the developed countries). Using the word dog (even if some one defends that its a newly coined word = slum + underdog = slumdog) is derogatory.

Views most welcome.

Jai Hind!

[parag_sankla]

I wanted to be away from this topic, but this news item was too good to miss.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.a...me=m3GntEw72ik=

There was no need to use the 50:50 option or phone a friend, as the issue was locked from the beginning, ever since Slumdog Millionaire was nominated for the Oscars. We all knew Danny Boyle would get the award, having portrayed India negatively, projecting the slums and drains of Bharat, the inhuman behaviour of the police and highlighting the brothels of Mumbai.

With goons flourishing in the slums of Mumbai, engaged in making big money and the mafia plucking out eyes of children, the film had the right mix of ingredients to make it to the top at the Oscar awards ceremony.

After all, it’s this aspect of India that’s been adored by phirangs in the past, who term India as the country of snake-charmers and elephants, refusing to believe that it is at par today with any other country in the areas of IT, science and technology, fashion and beauty care as well.

In the film sector, especially, we have been at the forefront always, having produced classics like Mother India, Mughal-e-Azam, Bandini, Barsaat, Awara, Mera Naam Joker and, more recently, Sholay, Lagaan, etc, but no one had any doubt that our films would never make it to the Oscars.

What if our songs Awara hun (Awara) and Pyar hua ikraar hua (Shri 420) are popular the world over and our cine stars, from Raj Kapoor, Nargis Dutt to the more recent ones like Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai are loved and chased by everyone everywhere, Indian films were never considered for the Oscars.

Indeed, Danny Boyle deserves praise for showcasing our great Indian talent before the world. We had no doubt that Gulzar was a great lyricist and that A R Rahman has a great future. The gems of our film industry, however, would not have made it to the top, the Oscars, if a Britisher or an American had not produced a film called Slumdog Millionaire.

Is it not an irony that for greater exposure of the already known talent of our films, we needed Slumdog? Couldn’t we have managed it without exhibiting the negative-side of our story? The answer is “NO”.

So, when we are celebrating the laurels of our achievers, we should also ponder the negativity of the film.

Those who saw the film would think of India as a country of dirt and filth, ridden with poverty, where violence and deceit are the key to success and where girls are often taken to brothels.

For the recognition of a very few in the outside world, we have allowed outsiders to portray, not the other side, but the wrong side of Bharat.

So, there is nothing to celebrate if US President Barack Obama is expected to see the movie, and empathise with the plight of Indians.

Similarly, if the producer of Slumdog Millionaire, Christian Colson, is planning to stage a musical show with all the kids, it is basically to keep themselves in the limelight and to get as much attention as possible. This, any way, won’t be possible if the kids are not around. As for charity, it is for the Indian government to take the call on the plight of slumdwellers.

A senior officer of the tourism ministry confided that India has been shown as a country where youngsters are so crazy that they would not give a second thought in jumping into a pit of night soil just to see Amitabh.

“No, I don’t agree, with this idea,” he stated. Similarly, one comes across so many people who reject this image of India. Interestingly, every person in the movie, with the exception of Irfan Khan, is shown in a negative role, including Anil Kapoor, who mocks at the hero, Dev Patel.

No, this is not India. Interestingly, many of those who are singing paeans to the film have not seen it themselves.

These include the Congress and BJP spokespersons, who sang hosannas for the movie. I heard someone suggesting that Danny Boyle should be rewarded by India. Why? If not punished, at least, he should not be honoured.

He was projecting India as he wanted to. Similarly, we need not bow to a filmmaker, just because he made it possible. The credit goes to our technicians, musician and lyricist, who helped Boyle to the award. Had there been no inputs from them, Boyle would not have made a perfect film.

So, the Thank Yous should come from Boyle to our artistes and not the other way round.