| When you watch Danny Boyle's latest rags-to-riches | | | | books - the vivid memories of his life in the slums and |
| fairy tale "Slumdog Millionaire," you'll experience an | | | | streets of Mumbai - his struggle for existence along |
| emotional roller-coaster ride that only Mumbai can | | | | with his brother Salim at the foot of the Tajmahal, and |
| offer. The city that never sleeps, the city that is the | | | | finally in his search for the love of his life - Latika! |
| center of the world (as mentioned by Salim in the | | | | Ironically, the final question comes from the book |
| movie), the city with an economic and social contrast | | | | "Three Musketeers" by Alexander Dumas, that he and |
| ratio of 20,000,000:1 gradually reveals itself on the | | | | his brother had only started to read during his limited |
| screen with all its color and darkness. Danny Boyle and | | | | encounter with school. He calls his "Life Line" - his |
| his screen writer Simon Beaufoy (based on the novel | | | | brother and Latika, but they fail to answer either. |
| Q&A by Vikas Swarup) has masterfully crafted | | | | Hence Jamal gives in to destiny - and once again |
| the film using the Indian version of the television game | | | | gambles his life in front of millions of television viewers. |
| show "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" | | | | The performances by all the lead characters were |
| Indian slums and street life has been explored by many | | | | heartfelt and spontaneous, especially the performance |
| international film makers like Mira Nair (Salaam | | | | of the children in the first half on the movie. The music |
| Bombay) and Roland Joffe (City of Joy) amongst | | | | by A. R. Rahman has helped heighten the emotions |
| others, but Slumdog brings to life the dark as well as | | | | and the final song and dance scene during the credits |
| the bright side of the city of Mumbai in a style that is | | | | was a treat. |
| shocking and heart warming at the same time. | | | | The film, although extremely enjoyable, has sometimes |
| The story of Jamal, an uneducated "chai-wallah" (tea | | | | gone overboard and simplified many of the complex |
| salesman) in a modern high-tech call center who is on | | | | issues. The film does contains some strong imagery, |
| the verge of winning the highly coveted two crore | | | | some quite disturbing, and some very heartwarming. |
| (twenty million) rupees award money, is indeed a fairy | | | | Special kudos to the cinematographer Anthony Dod |
| tale. It is so unbelievable that the show host (Anil | | | | Mantle for the gorgeous photography and the editor |
| Kapoor) gets him arrested to find out how this boy | | | | Chris Dickens for maintaining the breakneck pace of |
| can cheat his way through to the correct answers. | | | | the film that keeps the audience on the edge of their |
| Fortunately for Jamal, the answers to the questions | | | | seats. |
| comes from his life experiences and not from any | | | | |