SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

MIXED REACTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We Indians are known to go aboard with our reactions and over-reactions to many a things but reactions evoked by Danny Boyle's latest film,from India and abroad have probably been the most that any movie has ever earned,not only in numbers or magnitude but more significantly in the wide range of difference in opinions,swinging from one end of the pendulum to the other,and including great admiration and outright condemnation( All It Boyles Down to-OUTLOOK,Jan 26,2009)

It evoked mixed emotions in my mind too,and frankly speaking,even including few thoughts like comparing it to Satyajit Rays,portrayal of poor India ,though not as intense as expressed in the Big B's blog.I also reacted the way I did to Water,a movie which though shall be in top ten of my favorite movies,disturbed me,as it appeared to me not only like washing our dirty linen in public,but that too in foreign waters,literally.

What amazed me more,were the intense articles published over last one week,which ranged from suggesting to the government to encash on our poverty,by selling it as Hamari Garibi Mahan,to the depressingly shocking revelation of the fact,that certain foreigners are actually including Dharavi,in their entourage of Mumbai Darshan,for firangi tourists.to show the life of slums! The latter shamelesslesly added that they did so,taking their clients in small groups and not very close,so as not to disturb the life in the slum,so much akin to our visits to wild life sanctuaries!

At the end of the day I reconciled with all the hulla bulla and settled the unrest in my mind with the following realizations
It is not an Indian movie,but a movie on India
Am thrilled at A R Rehman ,being awarded the well deserved Golden Globe,as I am his die-hard fan
Respecting the freedom of art,we should appreciate the movie for its cinematic excellence
Poverty and slums are a crude reality of our country and all out efforts should be made to eradicate them rather than have heated and outrageous discussions on their depiction or exhibition by Indians or foreigners.
Being a great cine lover,I,for one am eagerly waiting to see the movie,with great expectations !

Dr Sanjay Kapoor Lucknow