I have a confession: I am quite a picky film-goer. I will usually watch movies at the theatres only if it is well-reviewed by the international press, or features some sophisticated filmmaking techniques which I feel more vivid observations could only be seen from the 35mm widescreen.
And off to the theatres last weekend was SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (’Slumdog’ for short), which has garnered 8 Oscars awards this year, beating other hot favorites like MILK, FROST/NIXON and THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON.
(My personal favorite is FROST / NIXON, but we’ll talk more abt it when it is released in Singapore!)
The plot is simple - 2 childhood lovers being apart during childhood are reunited through a gameshow, “Who wants to Be A Millionaire”. The aesthetics are also simple, since India by nature, is already so rich in culture and color, and hence the producers probably decide to make do without any elaborate set designs. Finally, its simple cast was also mostly made of real-life characters from the Mumbai slums.
But often, simplicity can be difficult to apprehend, much to the extent of cynism. Along the protagonists’ love journey, the film unravels the realities of the slum conditions in Mumbai, pepped with light-heartedness and a tinge of occasioanal irony to each incident. One memorable scene in the earlier part of the film is that of the ‘Amitabh Baachan’ autographed photo sold for a mere 1.50 rps, which is painstakingly achieved after the child protagonist thought of an ingenious idea of getting that rare celebrity sign-off, ie. by jumping into his own puddle of waste to beat the crowds !
We have often read about beggars’ syndicates operating in this part of Asia, where we are approached by more ’sophisticated’ mute indviduals selling magnets / cuddly soft toys at fast-food joints / hawker centres in Singapore. In this film, the protagonists are lured with ‘hot’ Coke drinks by a conniving well-dressed man, after religious Hindu-Muslim riots broke out and kill their mother. Unknown to them, they are soon roped to be street beggars by the well-dressed mafia chief, and the most ‘talented’ child with the best rendition of India’s national anthem is not promised with a bright singing career path. Instead, his eyes are gorged with primitive tools like thinner, candles and a spoon.
(When I saw this scene, it tugged my heart and made me recall the ’shockvertising’ tactics I used to read about from BBC.)
Other than the ironic twists like those mentioned above, I honestly think it could pass off as another goody ‘good-prevails-evil’ kind of film, if not for the ‘raw’ location and characters used. There is no shortage of the Indian ‘Ah-Beng’ characters fighting for status, territory, women and money, while the lead actor is cast as the sole righteous hero in this film. Even his heroine is tainted with a bad past - she is groomed by the syndicate ring-leader as a potential cashcow to be sold off handsomely as a virgin child bride. Her virginity is subsequently ruptured as she gives herself up to protect her sweetheart; turning to prostitution to make a living and becoming another mafia leader’s mistress out of coercion.
The winning point of this film, on the other hand, has to be credited to a tight script where it is not by fluke that a Chai Wallah (’tea-boy’ in Hindi) makes his winning at the mock version of the actual show, Kaun Banega Crorepati, but by chronological and poignant moments of his own life in becoming a millionaire as his final destiny.
These moments are well-thought of and ironic to the extent that it makes the viewers winch, laugh, shed a tear all at the same time.
For these ‘right’ elements placed at a comfortably pace throughout the film, I personally think it deserves the countless list of film awards won worldwide since its release.
