Sunday, August 1, 2010

India basked in the reflected glory of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ after the movie’s Oscar success, although there was little red-carpet glamour to be found in the Mumbai slums where it was set. The Danny Boyle movie has a British director, producer, writer and studio, but India has claimed it as its own because of the Indian cast, crew and location. National pride was further served by a double Oscar win for ‘Slumdog’ composer AR Rahman, known in India as the “Mozart of Madras,” who scooped the best original score and best song statuette at the Los Angeles awards ceremony. The film’s Indian sound engineer, Resul Pookutty, won the academy award for sound mixing. “They have done India proud,” said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In his acceptance speech, Rahman hailed “all the people from Mumbai and the essence of the film, which is about optimism and the power of hope and our lives.” ‘Slumdog’ received strong reviews on its Indian release and the urban audience response was enthusiastic. But some critics attacked the title as offensive, while others said the plot - about a slum-dweller who wins a TV quiz show - reinforced Western stereotypes about the country. Anyone crossing the bridge of Mumbai’s Mahim railway station yesterday morning and entering Dharavi, India’s largest slum, was greeted by a huge poster stating, ‘We are not Slumdogs’, in Hindi. Not only were most of Dharavi’s residents unaware of the film’s success, they weren’t even sure what the Oscars were.

“I’ve seen the movie and I liked it, but I felt bad because of the name,” said Varsha Jitendra Bhosle, 23, who has lived all her life in Dharavi.
Away from the Mumbai slums and in cities across the country, Indians with access to cable TV celebrated at bleary-eyed Oscar parties that began well before sunrise. “Jai Ho! (Glory Be!) for India” ran the headline on the Indian Express web site, after the title of Rahman’s winning song. Danny Boyle, who won best director for Slumdog, thanked the people of Mumbai in his acceptance speech. “You dwarf even this guy,” he said, holding up his Oscar.