Wow! Hectic schedule but happy I am back and happy to be on track. Show must go on!
Success of “Slumdog ….” Still haunting me, seriously.
That huge advertisement at Cinemax keeps on butting my head. What is in it going mad about? And what was not in “dharavi” or “Traffic signal”. Each day passing by Dharavi in Mumbai, I see the slums there. Not new for me. If it is about reality than the lanes are narrower than in the “Slumdog……”.People are more aggressive than been shown. They do not wear those neat and clean clothing too as does Latika. None looked me as sensual as is she. Emotions are not bigger than day to day life like any other Mumbaikar. They are living a common Mumbai life but with lesser facilities and more challenges. Want to fulfill the unshared dreams like you and me.
My grievances were with the subject and approval of movie on it. Same time with something which Indian did not receive; the recognition which Danny Boyle got.
Of course I have grievances about the depiction of Indian poverty and cashing on it, but bigger one was why only Boyle? Why not any Indian? Has the subject and plot been innovative? Did not we have had that talent which as per Oscar is with Mr. Boyle. May be only a foreigner understands India better?
Forget our economy or might for west we are still the country of snake charmers and semi naked Fakirs. That was what world wanted to see from us but through the window of any damn foreigner!
What makes a movie success at Oscar? For me it is the combination of hype and lobbying frankly ! May be that is the only reason that in every Oscar only one movie steals the show in almost every category. If you follow the trend the best actor, actress, supporting roles goes to the movie with maximum Oscar nominated movie.But in the case of “Slumdog….” It did not win in those categories. Leave ‘win’ it was not even nominated. Now what makes a movie a success again? I think acting is the core. If the actors did not deserve even for nomination what was that ‘something special’ to make it overall so much appealing?
It was impossible for that it would have immediately approved the globalization of Indian artists and cinema. How could a third world country come at par to the likes of Pitts and Winslets ?
Truth is that “Slumdog…” is not something extra ordinary to sweep all those Oscars. It was just an ordinary movie about India subject unfortunately revolving around the odds from here ones again.
