Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Slumdog? So what ??

Okay. The world is raving like mad about "Slumdog Millionaire", the Oscar panel of elite film reviewers definitely think it is the best thing to happen since sliced bread or, as Great Bong reminds us, since "Gandhi" trumped "E.T." at the 1982 Oscars (ironic that the Best Picture award this year was announced by Steven Spielberg? Did he go "Damn," as he opened the envelope, "Kingsley then, Boyle now... why the hell do the Brits have to be so fascinated by their former colony?")

Anyway, I haven't seen the film in its entirety, but whatever little I saw on Sunday gave me a headache. Sorry guys, there are more chances I'm gonna agree with the "Slumdog is poverty porn" brigade rather than "Oh! What a great uplifting film this is". Agreed, Frieda Pinto is gorgeous (hey, I'm still a 26-year old bachelor :D ) but I don't consider this to be India's greatest moment under the Oscar sun. That would be (fingers crossed) when an Indian director directs a film on an Indian subject and shoots the film in India using Indian artists and that wins an Oscar (just so that I leave out space for confusion for a Shekhar Kapur or Deepa Mehta film based abroad to win an Oscar).

Of course, Danny Boyle must feel proud. He has every right to. But as an individual who's fairly patriotic (and not in a jingoistic, "uproot hand-pump and bash up scores of Pakistanis" way), I am more excited about the two Oscars that A. R. Rahman won and the Oscar that Resul Pookutty won.

6 comments:

RA said...

I agree! And even though I'm very happy for Rehman, I think "Jai Ho!" was fairly mediocre and I'd be happier if Rehman wins accolades for some of his really beautiful work :)

Shekhar said...

ridhi: Completely agree. :)

Unknown said...

errr.. i am waiting to see johny depp.. amitabh..irfan khan.. konkona(may be) in shantaram.. directed by mira nair.. :p sigh..

Shekhar said...

trash-u: I am looking forward to reading the book first. Is the movie already "in the making" ?

Unknown said...

I agree. I really wonder if Indian film industry really lacks anything to rach the world stage. I guess we are different people from the west and our belief, working and films are equally different.I guess there should be more Indians on the panel of oscars and then I guess it would be a fair play!

Shekhar said...

nehal: Why not turn the equation on its head and see if any Hollywood production qualifies to be awarded a Filmfare ??!!! LOL. That would be fun !!