(Pl Note: I had written this piece in March 2009, wanted to share with you all...)
IF AN INDIAN HAD MADE ‘SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE’…
Is Danny Boyle’s SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE really worthy of 8 Oscars? Well, I happened to see the movie just last night (1st March 2009), that too, since it was on cable TV. I thanked my stars for having saved my ticket money in a multiplex. While I was watching the movie, I could relate to all the earlier Hindi movies (scene-by-scene & dialogue-by-dialogue and not forgetting the characters) having being made since the last four decades… sadly not even a single Indian (so-called intelligent breed) critic ever wrote that Danny Boyle lifted the plot from our old Hindi movies… Pity and a shame!
If an Indian had made SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE… the critics would have shouted aloud and pointed out that it was a lift from such and such Hollywood, Korean or other movies. We, Indians are so much infatuated with the WHITE SKIN even today, that we will never dare to lift a finger at them, why???? Are they really superior than us in any ways? And the saddest part is that the Indian media went berserk rejoicing SM’s win as if an Indian filmmaker has made the film. If an Indian had made SM, it would have never got positive reviews, instead it would have hardly even sustained at the box-office for more than two weeks, courtesy Film Critics.
Why do we love to lick the Western World? I really fail to understand the logic behind such a callous approach towards our own countrymen and love for the white skin. The immediate revenge saga of brother killing the don is taken from Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s super-hit film PARINDA (1989). The characters of Jamal, his brother and Latika replicate PARINDA’s Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Madhuri Dixit, who rise from Mumbai’s footpath. Wonder of wonders, PARINDA was even India’s official entry for the 1990 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film Category… but it never won any Oscars then, while Danny Boyle’s efforts in copying Hindi film fetched him 8 Oscars. Totally unbelievable! Is this really the HIGHEST STANDARD of the most coveted award for any filmmaker in the world?
Danny Boyle’s SM is a mediocre film by Hindi film standards, which is not even worthy of becoming a hit at the box-office, especially if an Indian had made it. The 8 Oscars is a clear indication that Hollywood filmmakers and producers want to enter the Indian film market, sadly, everyone is overlooking this aspect. Remember how Indian beauties suddenly were winning Miss World and Universe pageants left, right and centre when the West wanted to enter India’s beauty products’ market??? And just like Indian Awards Function, even the winner has to perform on stage to get an award (in lieu of payments for performance) at the Oscars was very evident when A R Rahman had to run inside to get ready to perform for his second Oscars.
The plot of a slum boy entering the contest is as bizarre as our Hindi films’ B-grade movies’ plots. But, since it was made by a British filmmaker… SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE has become the toast of the season worldwide. Vidhu Vinod Chopra must be thinking, what went wrong with his PARINDA?
Is Danny Boyle’s SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE really worthy of 8 Oscars? Well, I happened to see the movie just last night (1st March 2009), that too, since it was on cable TV. I thanked my stars for having saved my ticket money in a multiplex. While I was watching the movie, I could relate to all the earlier Hindi movies (scene-by-scene & dialogue-by-dialogue and not forgetting the characters) having being made since the last four decades… sadly not even a single Indian (so-called intelligent breed) critic ever wrote that Danny Boyle lifted the plot from our old Hindi movies… Pity and a shame!
If an Indian had made SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE… the critics would have shouted aloud and pointed out that it was a lift from such and such Hollywood, Korean or other movies. We, Indians are so much infatuated with the WHITE SKIN even today, that we will never dare to lift a finger at them, why???? Are they really superior than us in any ways? And the saddest part is that the Indian media went berserk rejoicing SM’s win as if an Indian filmmaker has made the film. If an Indian had made SM, it would have never got positive reviews, instead it would have hardly even sustained at the box-office for more than two weeks, courtesy Film Critics.
Why do we love to lick the Western World? I really fail to understand the logic behind such a callous approach towards our own countrymen and love for the white skin. The immediate revenge saga of brother killing the don is taken from Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s super-hit film PARINDA (1989). The characters of Jamal, his brother and Latika replicate PARINDA’s Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Madhuri Dixit, who rise from Mumbai’s footpath. Wonder of wonders, PARINDA was even India’s official entry for the 1990 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film Category… but it never won any Oscars then, while Danny Boyle’s efforts in copying Hindi film fetched him 8 Oscars. Totally unbelievable! Is this really the HIGHEST STANDARD of the most coveted award for any filmmaker in the world?
Danny Boyle’s SM is a mediocre film by Hindi film standards, which is not even worthy of becoming a hit at the box-office, especially if an Indian had made it. The 8 Oscars is a clear indication that Hollywood filmmakers and producers want to enter the Indian film market, sadly, everyone is overlooking this aspect. Remember how Indian beauties suddenly were winning Miss World and Universe pageants left, right and centre when the West wanted to enter India’s beauty products’ market??? And just like Indian Awards Function, even the winner has to perform on stage to get an award (in lieu of payments for performance) at the Oscars was very evident when A R Rahman had to run inside to get ready to perform for his second Oscars.
The plot of a slum boy entering the contest is as bizarre as our Hindi films’ B-grade movies’ plots. But, since it was made by a British filmmaker… SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE has become the toast of the season worldwide. Vidhu Vinod Chopra must be thinking, what went wrong with his PARINDA?
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