Slumdog Millionaire - Too Good

The making of the film is very Hollywood, but the script is very Bollywood! And I don't mean anything in a sarcastic way - this is truly an amazing collaboration!

The Bollywood has been producing dreamy, Utopian, feel-good (or sometimes bad), heart-over-mind, good-over-evil scripts for ages, and it has not only worked for thriving industry, but is slowly expanding way beyond Indian subcontinent. So something that appeals to may be couple of billions of people can't be wrong - can it?

On the other hand, Hollywood takes keen interest in realistic, mind-over-heart, fact-over-belief scripts. Nothing wrong with that either.

This movie brings the best of both - you cannot afford to miss it. The story will keep you engaged from the word go. Very able acting by the newcomers, Dev Patel (Jamal) as a special mention. But the young slum urchins played by child actors are absolutely fantastic!

Cinematography is pure master craftsmanship - hardly seen Mumbai (Bombay) in such vivid visuals!

A.R.Rahman's music brings a bit of unconventionality - miles apart from his bollywood affair, and rightfully so!



The film is the story of two Muslim boys living in the slums of Mumbai, who are orphaned by a pogrom against Muslims. (Unfortunately, such an event occurred in real life). They survive by their wits, and their wits are considerable. One ends up on a game show where he is poised to be a multi-million rupee winner. How did he end up there, and why is he getting all the answers right? The movie is the story that answers those questions. It is also an intense drama, and an expose of what India is really like. It's true the story is not realistic, in that there are too many coincidences. But the setting and the characters are realistic. The story does what it is meant to; it is meant to entertain and surprise you, and it does.

Memento lovers stay away..

Movies like Memento gets made once in a while. It has nothing to do with the story, it has nothing to do with the direction, it has nothing to do with the cinematography, it has everything to do with the execution (Now, I'm not saying that direction,editing,cinematography was not good. It was A-class. No second thoughts there for sure. But, the point here is the movie doesn't STAND out for me due to these factors.) I mean the whole movie was played backwards. How more innovative can you get? And not only it was innovativeness, Nolan did a damn cool job of changing one's thought process and the way one analyzes each character. You side/sympathize/loathe with some characters in the beginning and after a point it is the other way around. How many movies have been able to achieve that? Not many. I'm sure. This is what makes Memento great. This is what makes Memento MEMENTO. This is film making raised to the power infinity. Memento is too good to be remade. 

And then comes Murugadoss, says he was inspired by Nolan and he wrote his own version of the film. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing. Although, I still feel Aamir's body tattooing( just like Leonard's method of remembering things) is too much of a coincidence if not anything else. Now, the movie might be completely different from what Memento is, or what Memento showed. But, it would be very tough for me to watch the movie in isolation. I mean granted, the movie might not be a Memento, but hasn't it taken the central idea( and also the tattoo's part?) . And then what does the director do? He adds an Asin, subtracts some clothes, adds some songs again, shows us a love angle? Why? Why so accommodating all of a sudden Murugadoss? I'm not against songs, romance in the movie( esp. Hindi movies) but, just for the heck of it? Build up an original idea, do what so ever you want to do with it. But the idea has to be yours.

Now lets keep Memento aside (which is still difficult for me) and then let me write something about it. 

The movie was entertaining in some parts. But it was toooooo long.. 3 hours 15 mins. 

The action scenes looked like from south or old bollywood movies (one blow and 4 on the ground)

There are also a lot of loopholes in the movie.

But if you are someone who loves Aamir khan, and you really want to know that how can a teacher from Taare Zameen Par, can transform into a 6-pack, muscular, all flying piece of Jason Statham kind action hero, go and watch Ghajini. Ghajini takes you for a ride of a lifetime. It feels more commercial script and too full of violence. It could have been a bit more intense, not just bodies flying here and there. It has all the characteristics of a good bollywood masala movie, but it is NOT a masterpiece, NOT a Taare Zameen Par or Lagaan or Swades. It is more of a Mohra (old days masala violence) kind-of movie, which takes you and your friends for a joyride, and you can enjoy it with pop-corns and a cola. Sit-back, relax, appreciate, forget abt the logic and loopholes and enjoy. That's what 'commercial bollywood' is all about.

So if you watch it, with Memento running at the back of your head, its just about OK, if you are generous. If you watch it without prior knowledge of Memento, then its Good.