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SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE ( English,2008)

Director : Danny Boyle

Cast : Dev Patel,Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan,Anil Kapoor

This one has been making waves all across the world , thanks to the 4 Golden Globes and 10 Oscar nominations. I had to resist the temptation to download and watch the movie for a long time , just to watch it on the big screen , as I knew this one was something special.. and boy, was I correct...

This is a classic story , which revolves around Jamal ( Dev Patel) , who makes a huge fortune , answering questions on " Who wants to be a Millionaire ?" . Now , Jamal is from the slums of Mumbai and is just a coffee boy in a call centre. Suspecting that he has resorted to unfair means , the Police interrogate him . What happens during the course of the interrogation , is what the bulk of the movie is all about ..

There have been many movies made in the past few years in the "East meets West " genre.. But this one overtakes them all by a huge margin.. The packaging and storytelling is definitely Hollywood . But under Danny Boyle's brilliant handling , lies a beautiful love story.. A heart warming tale of regaining a "lost love"..

The movie shows us the sorry state of affairs , through the eyes of the slum kids from Mumbai.. Begging , prostitution , unhygienic lives are all portrayed in the most sensible manner possible. It does not aim to showcase the hardships of the people living in the slums.. all it does is showcase to us , how a "Slumdog" can live his dreams.. dreams of love and affection , like all of us.

The movie has its flaws no doubt , but all these are camouflaged under Boyle's highly compelling storyline. This is one movie which takes you for a ride across varying emotions . It makes you laugh , feel bad , guilty , proud , and even makes you watch with disgust , in that scene in the opening stages in which a young Jamal jumps into a pile of excreta , just to chase , well... his dreams....

Jamal's search for his childhood love Latika (Freida Pinto) is what the movie is all about. Characterization is another strong point of the movie. The older Jamal has been enacted brilliantly , albeit with a dodgy accent for a "slumdog" , by Dev Patel. Freida Pinto's character of Latika forms the crux of the story and has come up with a decent act . However , it is the earlier sequences , with the young Jamal and his brother Salim in their childhood days , which form the best part of the movie. It is the acting by these young kids , which really makes you sit up and take notice. There is a beautiful sequence in which the young Jamal takes a couple of foreign tourists for a ride posing as a guide at the Taj Mahal. It is scenes like these which form the best parts of the film.

The support cast is another plus point for the film. Irrfan Khan as the Police Inspector is a class act. Anil Kapoor as the game show host is brilliant , but only in parts . He was a bit of a letdown in very few shots , to be honest. Mahesh Manjrekar shines as Javed Bhai , the don , in a brief role.

Technically this movie has a lot to offer. Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy is impeccable. I could not recall getting bored for even a moment . However the biggest attraction , apart from the visual magic on-screen , has to be A.R.Rahman's music score. For those of you wondering why his music for this film is getting all the hype , please do listen to the OST. Some amazing music , which Boyle has used as the background score , blends so well with the imagery , it is truly a magical experience. The song "O Saya" , which shows the slum kids running across the narrow lanes of the Dharavi slum , in gay abandon , trying to give the pink slip to the police , is easily the most brilliant piece.

Like I mentioned before , there are flaws in the film . Everyone has been talking about how "Kaun Banega Crorepati" was never a live TV show. Yes , agreed there are some very few scenes which appear too good to be true. But Danny Boyle's treatment of such a delicate love story , in the form of a Police Interrogation , is brilliant.

I strongly recommend that this movie be watched on the big screen , to feel the magic . After all , when you get a Director of Boyle's caliber , with a beautiful story , and music by the Mozart of Madras , it deserves to be seen in the theaters .

This is not what I would call a great movie .But this simple story of a boy searching for his childhood love , braving all odds , is simply overwhelming. This is a movie about hope and chasing your dreams. And Hope like The Shawshank Redemption says "... is a very good thing , maybe the very best of the things. And no good thing ever dies.." . Jamal's never ending love for Latika , even after knowing that she has been with his brother Salim and Javed Bhai , is truly a heart warming tale... of hope , and believing in your dreams.

This movie , in spite of its very few weaknesses , deserves to be seen. And comes as a whiff of fresh air , in these troubled times . The core concept of the movie , Hope and Love , is meant for all of us to truly appreciate and really overwhelmed me. And there could have not been a better time to release the movie , in this "Yes, We Can ! " phase which we are going through.

I will go with 4.5 out of 5 for this little beautiful movie , with a very big heart , and an even bigger message. Danny Boyle , take a bow Sir.

As for the Oscars , there is still some time. And if " Slumdog Millionaire " manages to sweep the Oscars like it did at the Golden Globes , all I can say is "IT IS WRITTEN " . Jai Ho !!!!

VERDICT : 4.5 / 5 (Uber)