Tuesday 24 February, 2009

Slumdog Millionaire

Yesterday, I got into a huge debate with two people regarding the movie 'Slumdog Millionaire'. They both did not feel it was a deserving movie, it was over - hyped, and they both felt A R Rahman has given much better music than the one in this movie. I present to you, my arguments:

1. Even though this film is made by a British chap, it is about India. It features Indian bigwigs like Anil Kapoor and Irrfan Khan. It features lesser known Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto. It features even lesser known slum kids, whom we still only refer to as Jamal, Latika and Salim. So, having such a varied INDIAN cast, won't Indian's relate to the movie and feel happy about it winning the Academy Award?

2. A. R. Rahman. He is perhaps India's best music composer, and he has now achieved global recognition because of Slumdog Millionaire. My friends both argued that Rahman has given better music in films such as Dil Se, Yuva, even Delhi 6. "What kind of crap is Ringa Ringa?," one had said. Well, my reply to that was, Dil Se, Yuva, and Delhi 6 have not been nominated for the Academy Awards. So globally, no one really knew who Rahman is. Even though Slumdog's music isn't at par with Rahman's other compositions, it has still won him an Oscar! This is only the beginning, and I'm sure Rahman will win many more Oscars for his wonderful music.

3. Then, one said, I don't think the movie was that great that it deserved an Oscar. To that, I asked her, which other Oscar nominated films of the year HAVE you seen? I didn't get a reply.

The problem with us is that we are all pseudo-critics. We will always go against the tide and hate the movie just because it doesn't show India how you would like it to be seen. We're un-informed haters. Look around you...nothing of the Bombay surroundings shown in the movie is fiction. It's everywhere. We just choose to ignore it.

So bottomline is, if you didn't like the movie, just pop any Karan Johar movie in the DVD, and SHUT THE FUCK UP!

Update: I'm quoting my friend Vivek P for this wonderful insight: "Yeah, it’s funny that Karan Johar takes his entire Indian crew abroad for shooting his films, whereas the Slumdog guys came to India to shoot, with an Indian crew, an Oscar-winning film."

7 comments:

Ire said...

I totally agree! I am just happy! Bas...let them loosers be!

Supaar said...

Well said :)

Anonymous said...

we must be happy over rahman and resul's win...but we hav no right to celebrate over other 6 awards won by the film,just because it has an indian theme.

Supaar said...

@ Anirudh:

Why not? If you like a movie and you're rooting for it, then why not celebrate it's success?

Wonderwall said...

I LOVED how he got to perform too! It was MAD!Seriously, everyone wants to just go against the tide, if everyone says its great- we will say it was not so great..if it wasnt- we will say what a fantastic film. Point is- no one is ever truly happy.Actually the point is- they got a shitload of awards and that is mighty impressive.
The rest are just jealous!

Supaar said...

@ Wonderwall:

It would have been even nicer if Sukhwinder would have actually performed with A R Rahman! :)

Akhil S Behl said...

wow.. you seem angry at Karan Johar.. :)

see i am not leaning against the wind and i see your point.. but it is not wrong to lament the fact that the state of bias in the industry against Indians is such that much better music goes unrewarded..

i am sure even you would have loved it better to have Rehman win it for a Yuva or an RDB! Right? :)