MOVIE REVIEW: "Slumdog-millionare"
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Dev Patel, Frieda Pinto, Irrfan Khan, Saurabh Shukla
Director: Danny Boyle
Dharavi boy Jamal Malik, server of ‘chai’, keeper of secrets, is one of the wise. He’s learnt his wisdom on the streets, and he uses it to become a millionaire. Director Danny Boyle takes the bare bones of Vikas Swarup’s novel, and turns the film into an electric, visceral, kinetic feast, and an all-get-out entertainer. ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is ‘Salaam Bombay’ on speed. Only it’s called Mumbai now. Blood, sweat, tears. And that other bodily fluid—shit— that no one likes to acknowledge, least of all mainstream meisters. Danny Boyle uses these elemental qualities to construct call centre ‘chaipau’ Jamal ( Dev Patel) , and his ‘bizarrely plausible’ ( in the delightful phrase of one of the characters) world, constantly teetering on the edge of collapse, constantly being shored by the grit and gumption of those who live in it. And gives us an unlikely hero who is a metaphor for our times. Yes, Jamal can. So can Latika ( Freida Pinto), his childhood sweetheart, who is also a product of the same sewage and lineage that he and his brother Salim come from. Their journey to young adulthood, fraught with many dangers, is not new for those who’ve seen Bollywood’s tryst with slum-homeless kids being blinded and maimed by beggar cartels is one of Hindi cinema’s oldest saddest tales, along with fresh virgins being readied to be deflowered by the highest bidder. Boyle invests old tropes with a welcome matter-of-factness, and is willing to learn on the job : his inordinate glee at showing his young urchin wallowing in human excrement is overtaken by Jamal’s unchecked exuberance - the slumdog conquers both the smell and the moment. When he first opens his mouth, the UK based ‘desi’ debutant Dev Patel seems all wrong, because of his clipped cadences. But almost immediately he settles into his groove, and, along with the marvellous young kids who play the leads’ younger selves, grows into being the film’s high point : Jamal is vulnerable yet strong, the fragile skin peeling off to reveal the steel underneath. Pinto is real, and keeps him able company. Irrfan Khan and Saurabh Shukla as the hectoring cops, and Mahesh Manjrekar as the brutal ‘bhai’, fit right in. Anil Kapoor, as the devious host of the game-show, turns in one of his most vivid, precise performances. And A R Rahman’s score is a triumph. ... contd
By Kunal KOhli:
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Dev Patel, Frieda Pinto, Irrfan Khan, Saurabh Shukla
Director: Danny Boyle
Dharavi boy Jamal Malik, server of ‘chai’, keeper of secrets, is one of the wise. He’s learnt his wisdom on the streets, and he uses it to become a millionaire. Director Danny Boyle takes the bare bones of Vikas Swarup’s novel, and turns the film into an electric, visceral, kinetic feast, and an all-get-out entertainer. ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is ‘Salaam Bombay’ on speed. Only it’s called Mumbai now. Blood, sweat, tears. And that other bodily fluid—shit— that no one likes to acknowledge, least of all mainstream meisters. Danny Boyle uses these elemental qualities to construct call centre ‘chaipau’ Jamal ( Dev Patel) , and his ‘bizarrely plausible’ ( in the delightful phrase of one of the characters) world, constantly teetering on the edge of collapse, constantly being shored by the grit and gumption of those who live in it. And gives us an unlikely hero who is a metaphor for our times. Yes, Jamal can. So can Latika ( Freida Pinto), his childhood sweetheart, who is also a product of the same sewage and lineage that he and his brother Salim come from. Their journey to young adulthood, fraught with many dangers, is not new for those who’ve seen Bollywood’s tryst with slum-homeless kids being blinded and maimed by beggar cartels is one of Hindi cinema’s oldest saddest tales, along with fresh virgins being readied to be deflowered by the highest bidder. Boyle invests old tropes with a welcome matter-of-factness, and is willing to learn on the job : his inordinate glee at showing his young urchin wallowing in human excrement is overtaken by Jamal’s unchecked exuberance - the slumdog conquers both the smell and the moment. When he first opens his mouth, the UK based ‘desi’ debutant Dev Patel seems all wrong, because of his clipped cadences. But almost immediately he settles into his groove, and, along with the marvellous young kids who play the leads’ younger selves, grows into being the film’s high point : Jamal is vulnerable yet strong, the fragile skin peeling off to reveal the steel underneath. Pinto is real, and keeps him able company. Irrfan Khan and Saurabh Shukla as the hectoring cops, and Mahesh Manjrekar as the brutal ‘bhai’, fit right in. Anil Kapoor, as the devious host of the game-show, turns in one of his most vivid, precise performances. And A R Rahman’s score is a triumph. ... contd
By Kunal KOhli:
No matter what I say, people are liking or even loving this movie. Fair enough. Personally, I hated this movie.. absolutely. Not because it portrayed India in a bad light.. no... that is reality, we all know that. It was just a bad film. The 'fantastic' camera angles were real bad, the acting, except for the youngest kids, was terrible. Dev Patel can't act.. Period. He just hung around with a puppy dog expression.. Hell! he spoke with a Scottish accent. In all my 24 years, I have never, never come across any slum kid who can speak English with an American accent as the middle-segment kids. Anil Kapoor was way over the top, AR Rahman's music, though the brightest point of the movie, was not memorable, He's done waaayyyy better and not got anything for it. Lagaan was a way, way better film than this and got zilch for itself. We are stuck in a post-colonial hangover that makes us appreciate whatever a white man does.
At the end of the day though it is only a story, that potray's how out of great adversity and struggle some people make it through to brighter times. There are sinister underworlds in all countries and there are always people who will exploit the weak and needy.I thought the film was one rollercoaster ride ,full of tension,colour and exhilirating music. Perhaps people are uncomfortable looking at the poor and the conditions they have to live in, even if it is just a story...the same way we turn away or cross the road if we see a tramp begging in the street...if we turn away perhaps in our minds we think it won't exsist!
So i feel Slumdog Millionaire is a beautiful movie, beautifully made....and the movie winning all oscar nominations shud not come as a surprise but shud be seen as a logical reward to this well deserved craft........ but...... We have had so many movies made in india which were as beautiful as Slumdog if not better but because of lack of international exposure and awareness were not given the credit they were worth..... I hope this movie helps in creating a global interest in Indian cinema and if you loved Rahman, you would also love Lata Mangeshkar or Aamir Khan and many other jewels in Indian entertainment industry..
criticism....there are ..there will be..even would do so if asked to do!..
thats it...
let me sign off ...wait for ma next post...
till then stay cool!
with luv..
yours astha
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment