SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Link to Trailer:



Link to Danny Boyle on India:



Link to Some say its poverty porn - but not many: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/24/oscars-india-slumdog-millionaire-ian-jack
Link to so what do British Asians think of Slumdog Millionaire?:http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/jan/18/slumdog-millionaire-british-asian-reaction


The film is a fair representation of India, I have seen the film, and it in a way shows the truth about India. The way it is shown to be corrupt, can be seen to be true. It also shows the poverty stricken cities (slums) which are hardly shown through the media; it shows how hard life really is for poor people, people from other religious backgrounds etc...It shows how people exploit homeless children for their own advantages- to gain wealth. They are seen to be uncivilized and barbaric.
Since the film was adapted from a novel by Vikas Swarup's [Q&A] it can suggest Boyle may have exaggerated to make the film more entertaining. The film represents India in many ways, through various storylines and techniques.

The first representation which is noticed by the audience is that the country is corrupt, because of what the characters do in the film. There is a gang of ‘villains’ that do bad things to the small innocent children, for instance a scene is shown where the main villain makes a young boy unconscious and puts hot wax in his eyes to make him blind, and makes him beg for money which goes to him. Boyle depicts Indian people here as cruel and untrustworthy.

”His "poverty porn" is damaging the image of a country on the brink of becoming a superpower.
“”

Jaspreet Pandohar, 35, a freelance writer, says she feels the film portrayed the city and its people in a truthful, dignified manner.”India's commercial capital may be booming but there's a dark underbelly of crime, deprivation and poverty that is often ignored or misrepresented by Indian cinema and the government."”

Indians are shown to be clever, through the main character Jamal.
It also shows the country in a positive way, through the beautiful scenery, e.g. the Taj Mahal, HOWEVER this is contrasted with the shots of the slums.
The film does conform to the stereotype of the “The Other” as it shows Indians to be Barbaric through what they do, which is seen to be cruel.