The year started with Ramalinga Raju tainting the image of the country by siphoning funds close Rs.7000 Crore from his listed Public Company called Satyam Services. This episode left the whole world dumbfound and the week Indian Corporate Governance was under scanner. The investigation is still on and the culprits are yet to be bought to book to present the strong ethos of the Indian system.
Within less than 16 days a British Director Danny Boyle portrays the
dark side of India and wins accolades by winning four Golden Globe and getting 10 nominations for Oscar. Our TV News Channels are abuzz with repeat programs showing the celebrations.
Within less than 16 days a British Director Danny Boyle portrays the
dark side of India and wins accolades by winning four Golden Globe and getting 10 nominations for Oscar. Our TV News Channels are abuzz with repeat programs showing the celebrations. The only saving grace is our Music Maestro ARR winning the Golden Globe for Original Background Score, three Oscar nominations and Resul Pokutty - Sound Engineer getting nominated along with Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke.
Why am I so ruffled?
Why am I so ruffled?
A street Kid of Mumbai being nick named as Slumdog.Portraying the Hero worship of Indian Matinee Idols by Indain masses that the protagonist during childhood jumps into a shit whole to get a glimpse and autograph of Superstar of the Millennium – Amitabh Bachchan.
Hindu – Muslim riots.
Children being kidnapped by Mafia and blinded for undertaking begging on the
streets of Mumbai (The Mafia goon trains these children in singing Bhajans and also recognizing a Dollar Currency Note by the smell including the kid is in the know that Benjamin Franklin adorns a 100 US Dollar Note. This goes on to prove that the Mafia Goon is an educated unemployed youth?
The girls kidnapped are being sold to Brothel houses.Robbing of shoes from places of worship.
The childhood protagonist tells the most hilarious story of Taj Mahal. (Cautioning the tourist to be more careful while hiring a guide).
Stripping a Mercedes Benz of International Tourist couple; while they go around for sightseeing.
A packaged water bottle is being filled by Tap water by the protagonist’s brother while working at a restaurant.
The narration of the story was fairly creative but there are some gaping holes!
How does the protagonist answer the question Inventor of Revolver – Samuel Colt? Because no where was this aspect covered in the movie.Betting racket in sports by Mafia Dons
Portraying that cheating the participants by the host is a common aspect in Indian Reality shows.
Lastly, the song Jai Ho sounds like a dig at India. (For all the dark side you still survive as one of the powerful economies of the world)
Thank you Ramalinga Raju, Danny Boyle, Golden Globe Jury and finally the Oscars for painting India as a country that still baffle the world audience and continue to survive.
Jai Ho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.jpg)
5 comments:
Pradeep - It is ironic that, I saw the movie this afternoon and came across your blog now. Movie is still fresh in my mind. You are true about how this movie will potray our stance in the world.
Bala
The movie is too much ironical to our society, after watching it i felt its a pun to our society i actually didn't understand why it has been nominated. Anyways very nicely written by you Sir.
Pradeep,
Why are we so sensitive to criticism? Raju turned out to be a crook...we should nail him and do something about actually making criminals like him pay. Instead we talk about how this will affect our image abroad. When Enron's CEO was jailed for the biggest fraud, did Americans worry about how it would affect the image of their country. I would think not.Similarly, re: Slumdog Millionaire...I haven't seen the movie, but what you describe rings true, mafia beggary rackets, tourists being gyped and shit in Dharavi, we do nothing to correct those wrongs, but yes we get our backs up when someone else points it out. Satyajit Ray had the guts to portray this "dark side" of India but was called a traitor by Indian filmmakers. Ironically when Boyle does it, we feel unhappy about his portrayal of India {we seem to forget that it's fiction, not a documentary} but we are happy that AR Rehman might get an Oscar. If we are so self-sufficient, why are we so desperate to get international recognition...whats go great about Oscars and Golden Globes..., lets be happy with Filmfare Awards and Screen Awards...Seems to me like we want to have the cake and eat it too...Its high time we shed our supersensitivity to criticism!
It does not hurt when an Indian does something like what Raju did? It hurts when Raju happens to be an internationally known company Chairman. Similarly it does not hurt when small girls are sold away and small boys get into the smuggling network or a big slum survives. It hurts when these are shown in movies that get international publicity. This is a normal hyprocracy among human beings, particularly the educated. The Reality is that Raju exists and so do many other honest Indians. The Reality is some small girls find their way into brothels but most Indian girls live in their homes.
No one can really paint the Truth. That is known and will get revealed sooner or later. Everyone knows that all Indians are not Gandhi - there was only one. Everyone knows that there is no real MunnaBhai in India.
We need not be upset about A Raju or a Movie. We should be upset if we are not what we want India to be really. If Rajus and Slumdogs do not reflect any significant illness of Indian society, why care about the entertainment and the publicity associated with a single Raju and a single slumdog.
Just believe that these are stry exceptions and exceptions make stories, headlines and attractive publicity.
I like the movie.It potrays what Mumbaikars see everyday on the streets and in the slums of Mumbai.
I once saw a whole family living under a Mumbai railway platform. Life is sub human for these dwellers.India must uplift this class of people ( to human levels) if we want to be a decent superpower.
Post a Comment