Slum dog millionaire, a sensational movie in the Indian cinema – a stir all over the world, swapping almost all awards across the world whether it’s the Cannes Film Festival, the Golden Globe awards or much awaited for each & every Indian, the Oscar Academy awards.

Lots of appreciation for the movie including the critics (usually unusual), in all movie surveys on various TV channesl. Everyone knew the general concept of the movie, a guy from a slum managed to enter in the show ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’ and he wins the show. I also had the same perception & information.

(Note: this I’m telling happened before the Oscars).

In the continuation of all these happenings, one day - news flashed for Mr. Amitabh Bhachan’s blog regarding the film. This blog came after this film won awards at the Golden Globe film festival, in the blog Mr. Bhachan mentioned about the level of poverty and ill practices shown for India is not appreciable and there is nothing that we should be proud of the film (this info is based on the news shown on TV and the vague idea of mine ….nothing to drag me into any controversy).

Till now even after so much of publicity, I don’t know!!! nothing compelled me to see this movie. This I myself found very strange, as even if a hyped film of Vivek oberoi releases, I go to see it – no matter I condemn myself after the movie.

Further, this film finally won the Academy awards of Oscars. This became the main headlines in India, all the news papers had this news on the front page, each and every news channels were showing this big news. Now, I couldn’t refrain myself watching this movie.

A week later, I went to see this movie in a multiplex alone (I never watched a movie alone in my whole life alone). The movie started………….continued………………intermission happened……………….I remained on my seat without any movement………………and finally the movie ended.

Movie ended, lots of thoughts making strong zigzag motions – with a deep shrug and sigh of anguish I moved from my seat. No matter, this movie had a strong story line, the music was good and the acting was good – this movie was very well scripted and acted.

But….but………..but……………….what made so exceptional about this film that it won all the awards across the globe. What so extraordinary about the film that laid the stone for all the awards even at the Oscars that the films like ‘Black’ and ‘Rang De Basanti’ or ‘Taare Zameen Par’ couldn’t do. My only question, what so exceptional and extra-ordinary??

With these statements, I certainly do not mean that whatever has been shown in ‘Slum dog millionaire’ doesn’t happen in India. It certainly happened in India but this is not the things only happening in India, there are several other good things happening here but those weren’t shown in the film. Also I would like to emphasize, all those incidents’ that has been shown in the film has reduced to a lot extent, those things happened 5 to 7 years back and India has changed drastically over this period of time. If these things exist, it’s in their last phase that would defiantly come to an end very soon.

Frankly speaking, after watching this movie – the only thing I was able to think in my mind was that ‘if this is the India that has been shown in this film then I’m ashamed to be an Indian’.

This brings to my next question, after making so much of achievements all around the world; do we still have to be ashamed of ourselves??

Right from the beginning, down from ground the picture of India was taken straight into the grave yard. Is this India the whole world wants to see and appreciate and this is the reason the films like ‘Black’ and ‘Rang de Basanti’ couldn’t make to the global awards.

I think everyone in India has seen the film ‘Black’ – for anyone from outside country reading this blog, please take my suggestion and see this film at least once.

‘Black’ is an exceptional film and it could only be made once, the story (unbelievable), the music (commendable), the acting (out of the world). The moment I saw the film, my only comment was, “there is no reason that this film couldn’t win Oscar”. Later on what happened the whole world knows, does this happened because ‘Black’ didn’t contain the level of poverty and pity shown in ‘Slum dog millionaire’. Is this the reason that the film wasn’t appreciated or couldn’t win an award, although this film swept all the awards in India and perhaps if I am correct, also in the Cannes Film Festival.

Anyways, anything happens – I may appreciate the ‘Slum dog millionaire’ film but I’m certainly not proud for all the awards received for the film. I know this statement could be controversial but this is true and I also know that almost all Indian will definitely endorse my point of view.

With Love...........

Upendra