Most of the people who admire Slumdog Millionaire (SM) are stating -
- SM shows the reality of India.
- We do have slums.
- And the people in these slums are living in inhumane conditions.
- As it demonstrates ‘Real India’ so people should not criticize it.
Does SM reveal something new?
I agree that it is a ‘part’ of reality. But then please tell me that being a citizen of India is this something new for us? Haven’t we hear about slums in India ever before? Don’t we read news about crime and exploitation in the daily newspaper? Haven’t we seen this real India in our cinema before its being shown in SM? But after that what steps we have taken to change their lives? Have we personally contributed some time or resources to alleviate the condition of these deprived countrymen? What’s the benefit of demonstration of same again in SM? Those who are saying that SM makes us aware of the irony of underprivileged in India must not be in touch with newspapers, T.V and radio. It shows that they must be living just in their own dome when every Indian is more or less aware of these bitter truths of their country. Its better if they keep themselves more conscious of their country and society without relying on outsiders. Now after getting due awareness from SM what steps they are going to implement to reduce the ills of our country?
Isn’t it an attempt to sell the poverty?
Now in 2008 again, Danny Boyle has tried to highlight the troubles of slum dwellers but he treated the subject without any sentiments in a very humiliating way. He has exposed the lives of deprived in an extremely dramatized way and exaggerated the things to make a point. It is very clear that SM is just selling the poverty of poor Indians for making money and getting awards! Records shows that as of 18 March 2009, the gross income of SM worldwide was $269,045,721 or approx Rs.13,554,281,282 or Rs 1355 crore. How much percent of this is directed to the welfare of Mumbai Slum dwellers? Is it 50% or 40% or 30% or 10% even? It is not even 5%!
Although Danny Boyle had paid for the education of 2 slum kids (Rubina Ali & Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail) who acted in SM movie and has talked about setting a trust for their betterment in future, but only after the eruption of controversy, just to save his face! Check these quotes:
“The children were paid well,” Boyle said. “The families were paid well for their work, over and above what you could pay, way over and above what you could pay.”[CNN]
“The reason I think Boyle’s being very patronizing about this is the idea that only he and the producers know what’s best for these kids. It’s all very “Lord of the Manor”, teaching these Indians about how civilized people behave. I’ll take their word that they have the kids’ interests in their hearts, but you either pay someone fairly or you don’t. Either you pay them what you pay a white, Western actor, or you don’t. Either you pay them union, or you don’t. Don’t try to back-track and say, after the fact, that there’s suddenly a trust for these kids. When was the trust set up? Before or after the controversy?” [mrrusssss]
“Too little, too late Danny Boy (le).” [ Michael, cambridge, 25/2/2009]
But see the nice apartment of Azharuddin after returning back from Oscar ceremony.
Moreover, SM star Rubina Ali is said to have been paid more than the Oscar winning film, for a drinks commercial with Hollywood superstar Nicole Kidman. Check the comments of Rubina’s father quoted in Indian Express dated 30 March 09:
"The Slumdog Millionaire people haven't kept all their promises despite all the media attention. We have no information about the supposed trust fund and the 21 pound-a-month that they were giving for her studies has stopped coming,” the ‘Telegraph’ quoted Rafiq Ali as saying.
“The money she is receiving for doing this ad is more than the total she got for Slumdog," he added.
At last Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Ashok Chavan announced gifting the two kids, a flat each from the chief minister’s quota! Now we are waiting for new excuses or clarifications from the producer and director to defend themselves! So it is pretty much clear that they are just filling their bank accounts by making the mockery of the poor Indians. What a real patriotic spirit they have! They must be helping their country’s economy in this tough time by bringing tonnes of pounds there. But isn’t it inhumane on part of Danny Boyle & Christian Colson to earn business by hurting the sentiments of Indians!
[Read people’s affirmation on this…]
Psychological damage done to Slum stars
Has anyone gone through the real pathetic impact SM brought in the lives of these star kids. Mr. Danny Boyle has exposed them to a better and highly polished status of life by taking them to Oscar ceremony, availing them facilities and luxuries of five star hotels, touring in the foreign countries, just for the publicity of his movie. This exposure was like a flight of fancy for these kids but they came back to harsh reality when they returned to the same slum after getting back from Oscars. Before this exposure, living at slum with their peers was very natural for them and they were trying to be reasonably satisfied within their own limits without any facilities. But after doing this movie they couldn’t even relate themselves to their own world. Life has become more difficult for them now. Have anyone thought that how much psychological damage this has done in their lives!
Learning to adjust to different kinds of people and different kinds of social situations is an extremely difficult area of development during the childhood years. Because of this there are many possibilities of developing unfavorable attitudes and behavioral patterns and self concepts which affects the child’s success in his adult life.
Don’t we see the trauma of underprivileged?
Have you ever noticed the shame and sorrow in the eyes of destitute when anyone tries to see behind their poverty? Have you ever seen that how much pain and efforts they take to patch the only torn cloth they have to hide their body? They too have feelings like we humans, the inhabitants of better society!
Don’t you think that we would also feel the same if somebody tries to unfold the hidden truths behind our pleasing personalities (now please don’t say that I am MR CLEAN or equivalent to GOD). It is revealed by the researchers that maximum victims of crime & exploitation of women in India is in our so called middle and higher class societies. But these women hide this shameful truth of their life to maintain the dignity of their spouse or their family in the society. Isn’t it real India too! Yes, disparities exist not only in underprivileged class but in middle and higher classes too. So why to make slum dwellers naked in front of public when it could not help them in any considerable way!
How embarrassing was the shit scene in SM where a boy jumped into the shit to approach superstar Amitabh Bachchan to take his autograph, with his body and cloths full of shit. This conveys that slum people don’t have any shame even if they are clad with shit! Moreover, the other Indians who gathered to see the superstar were also so accustomed to these shitty situations that no one even tried to stop that boy from entering the crowd! And imagine that Indian superstars too are so comfortable with this that they don’t even hesitate to give autograph to such fans! What a spirit!! But on the contrary slum dweller Indians do have shame. While travelling in trains, haven’t we seen any poor person trying to hide his face while freshening up near the railway tracks on the outskirts of the city? They are short of resources but hiding their face is enough to explain that they are not short of SHAME!
[Read people’s affirmation on this…]
Please decide if the following shown in SM depicts real India?
- Boy jumping into the shit
- Superstar giving autographs to a boy with cloths and body full of shit.
- Children hanging upside down from the roof of the trai n.
- Guides telling fake stories to the tourists at Taj Mahal.
- Stealing of shoes at Taj in bulk.
- American offering $100 note to a thief.
- Street boys speaking fluent English with American accent.
- Reality show host addressing contestants with cheap and abusive language like ‘chaiwala’ etc
- A tea vendor (Chaiwala) attending calls at BPO’s
- Anyone accessing customer’s personal information from call centers (without any security code?)
Finally…
Please raise your hands if anybody has seen this REAL INDIA in their lives ever before SM!
Your comments are most welcome.
No comments:
Post a Comment