My Stumbled-Upon Oscar
by Unity in diversity.
Bored as I was, it was suggested that we go for a movie (by my Husband). I was given no idea about what the movie was until we reached the entrance of the movie theatre. There in bold letters was the name “Slumdog Millionaire”. It was a name I hadn’t heard about until that moment. I expected, it was some normal English movie made specifically to drive away boredom (By keeping your mind entertained) Nil curiosity whatsoever….As I was thinking about this unheard of movie, I saw my Husband give me a wry smile and I smiled back sweetly and innocently.. I asked him, How this movie was and he replied that, That’s what we’ve come to find out.. huh! As if I dint know it.. Should have kept quiet….
Once, we got to our seats, “The usuals” started, Umpteen advertisements and ten thousand two hundred and thirty four trailers… Phew! Finally the movie starts and I start to get excited as I watch Anil Kapoor in the movie . I am a fan of Bollywood and so I was wondering how come I missed out on this movie of his, and further more I ponder over how so many Americans have come to watch his movie……Finally the movie reels over unaware of the feelings it was invoking in me, as an Indian.
I cringed at scenes, depicting the slums and slum-dwellers, cried at the barbaric doings, to the distraught children, sang and danced with the kids, when they did, played “who becomes a billionaire”, admired Jamal and Latika for their untainted love and finally danced for “Jai Ho…” with a spirit I had felt only back in India. In short, The movie gave me a vivid taste of India… Something very close to my heart.
Wondered if my co-audience would ever appreciate this movie as I did, As I, who is a part of India did. Wondered if they really understood this movie as I did. As we all Indians do. As the movie ended, we got up to leave the theatre with a smile on our faces… and to our huge surprise, all the people in the theatre got up on their two legs and applauded. I am a person who shudders from deafening noises, but this noise was very much a welcome one. I appreciate all the people, who were in there, for appreciating this novel film in a fitting manner….. I am glad to say that my husband and I were two very proud souls there on that very day. Proud that our way of life in India is getting to be accepted everywhere without being looked down upon.
Watching this movie has been a wonderful experience for me, and even more wonderful is the fact that it has bagged eight Oscars. Out of which three of it is India’s, two for AR Rahman and one for Resul Pookutty, way to go guys!! The Oscar lady has eluded India for too long a time now, well not anymore. Next time we will be back for the Best Picture award. Is there any area more for the Indians to prove their mettle? 
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Post CommentJanaki
On March 18, 2009 at 9:03 am
Hey thats a nice one… you have to start blogging more often…
Maria
On March 18, 2009 at 9:03 am
Very nice write up…. i think such blogs are very necessary about the movie coz there are so many emails and blogs i see criticizing the movie and the crew… People do not accept the reality in our country… they cant accept it coz our movies are only fantasies… way to go Divya…..
kumaresan
On March 18, 2009 at 10:05 am
i am yet to see this movie since i am waiting for our daughter to finish her exams. Most of us are proud about AR Rahman here. some have complained that poverty and squalor has been glorified and sold to American audience in the way they like to see India.
Well i will have my own perspective once i see the movie.
But I do admire the westerners for their uninhibited applause once they appreciate something – i mean the standing ovation they give in theatres. We are kanjus when it comes to appreciating our own fellow nationals!
Divis
On March 18, 2009 at 10:16 am
Thanks Janaki and Maria…, yeah its high time everyone realised… I see many reviews that say that “Slumdog Millionaire” is not an Indian movie. Its true that the producer and the director are non-Indians.. But its the very content which makes it an Indian movie..
Piyali..
On March 18, 2009 at 10:26 am
really thats a very very touchy article,and I must appreciate and encourage your work to write something like this which is really very inspiring.I really feel that people here have started accetping our real India…Proud to be Indian..
Divis
On March 18, 2009 at 10:38 am
Chittappa, “glorification of poverty and squalor” may have been just another way of putting it.. It can also be put in a positive way… “This movie calls to attention, the need to eradicate the social evils in the country”
and yeah, ability to appreciate is a selfless virtue….
bhavana
On March 18, 2009 at 3:15 pm
wonderful way of putting the whole thing divya. i donno about the article but ur english is amaaaaaazing. the words used and the fashion it is written in really has taken my breath away.
and about slumdog millionair, wonderful movie and ur article says it all. YES, steps have to be taken in a more positive manner.
practically, discussing it does not get anywhere unless each of us owe to do something.
V.PANDY
On March 19, 2009 at 2:13 am
Nice write up..But the film is not that much to deserve a Oscar. There were so many Indian films better than this. But usually all the films which won Oscars remain like this. I do not know in which scale the films are rated and awarded. Anyhow,as we Indians, can take proud that an Indian film won 8 Oscars though directed by an Englishman. So,koottathodu serndhu “KUPPATHU NAAI KODEESWARAN” kku oru “JAI HO” pottu vaikkiraen..
usharani
On March 19, 2009 at 7:24 am
hi divya,verynice article,iam yet to this see this movie.i am very happythat an indian film got 8oscard.JAI HO.
Arun Karthik
On March 19, 2009 at 10:46 am
Hey, thats a nice write up. The movie has definitely made us all proud. You should seriously take up blogging. This write up shows u’ve got a good command over english. Most bloggers choose complicated words to just show off their ability. But u’ve kept it simple. Good work!! Keep it up!!
Raam
On March 19, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Oye…a very nice article…way to go..my inferiority complex (on not having as strong command over the language as you do) has strengthened further. I feel the greatest trait of a blogger is to write and write and write…so u better keep them coming
And moving on to the context of the article, as we have discussed umpteen times, I’m one of those 1-2% of the Indian community who feel that this movie has shown India in poor light and there is nothing to be proud about the way India is depicted in this movie. I felt happy (or should I say delighted) when the Americans stood up to applaud the movie..You know how I was jumping around when the Oscars was announced for ARR and Resul..I felt delighted for them…
But if u ask me about the movie, all I can say is that it provided entertainment. I felt there were lotsa negativities (that was shown) about Indian than positives in the movie. Slums, Communal riots, Prostitues, Beggary, Corrupt people, worthless cop etc..etc.. Is there anything positive about the India in the movie (except for the technicians and actors)?
This might not be the very best movie that was made in India…this might not be anywhere close to the best performance of ARR, but I would like to say a “Jai Ho” for the “sheer entertainment value” of the movie and for the OSCARS (even though they fail to glorify India).
Subbu
On March 19, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Well, I know that you were good in English, but I didn’t know that you could articulate it beautifully. Way to go Divis!!! Alright enough on the good things, though I liked the way you expressed it I don’t really agree the hype the Movie got. ARR definitely had way better numbers than the ones he composed for Slumdog (Roja, Dil Se, Kannathil Muthamittal, etc.,). As for the direction and contents, I don’t see how the board settled for this movie to be chosen as the Best Movie. To me this is just an ordinary Bollywood or Kollywood movie shot for the English people. All said, I was more than happy and was clapping my hands for about 5 mins when ARR received the award(s). It is proud see Indians performing at the Kodak Studio when the entire world is watching the show.
Divis
On March 19, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Yeah, It is true that there were many other movies, and many more of ARR’s scores, that were better than “Slumdog Millionaire”. There is a funny saying “The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three, he was the genius”, so like wise, if ARR is getting an oscar after his fourth wheel, it doesnt mean that he is getting it for his fourth wheel only..
But humour apart, The original inventor of telephone is believed to be TA Edison, but Edison won the Nobel Prize for inventing the light bulb. Too many of Edison inventions were not recognised too.. So I guess thats what happens to great ppl..:-)
But all said and done, Its a terrific moment for us.
Thank you everyone for all your comments and appreciation.. It really encourages me to write more.
Hamsa
On March 23, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Hey Divi… beautifully written… We have no surprises there and expect much more blogs from you… I tend to agree with you… I too watched it in a hall having more than 80% Americans… and can totally relate to how you felt… Like you said , we know it is not ARR’ best or the best movie we have seen in comparison to few others but who cares!! It has made people finally sit up and take notice of our talents which is long overdue and the way I see it there is no looking back from now.. !
Continue writing more such articles… JAI HO!!
Sivapriya
On March 24, 2009 at 9:26 am
Divi.. Great narration! I just loved the way it is written..
Very happy about that.
Way to go!!
In school I used to read the poems that you wrote. Now, I am reading your blogs..
Write more often.
I am a proud Indian too.. Jai Hind!! Jai HO!!
Bhuvana R
On March 25, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Hi!! That is a nice article to read. The movie had a great entertainment quotient. But in my opinion, I feel that there were better Indian movies than ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ that were not appreciated internationally. For an example, I can name the movie ‘Salaam Bombay’ directed by Mira Nair. It has a similar story line depicting slum children in Bombay. It was nominated for the ‘Best Foreign Language Film – Academy Award’ but failed to win. When I explore the various reasons for Salaam Bombay’s failure to make it to the Oscars, I find that it’s producers and director are Indians. Also, the Americans who are the worst hit by the economic recession just enjoy this movie (Slumdog Millionaire) as they see a “slumdog” kid become a millionaire in 2 hours. They are convinced with the thought that people in India undergo miseries and trauma in a greater magnitude than them. I personally find’ that the word ’slumdog’ in the movie very ridiculous. In a country where M.F. Hussain was forced to flee the nation, the title of the movie does not evoke much opposition just because the “owners” of the title are under-previleged. There have been many controversies in the nation regarding movie titles and lyrics(For ex. Removal of the word ‘Barber’ from ‘Billu Barber’ and Removal of “objectionable” lyrics of a song in ‘Aaja Nachle’) but this movie goes scot-free as it does not have an Indian banner. I can also refer to a scene in the movie where an American Lady offers a hundred dollar bill to a child and says “This is America” responding to the words “This is India” for a robbery of her car’s spare parts.
It is definitely not a movie which shows India in a good perspective but just in lime light. I can feel happy for Resul Pookutty because this is the first time an Indian has got the Academy Award for technical expertise (Sound Engineer). And of course, for the “Mozart of Madras” !! But for these two, the success is more than what it actually deserves. Jai Ho!!
RAVINDRAN . D
On March 28, 2009 at 6:16 am
28-03-2009
PROUD MOMENT PROVIDERS
DEAR DIVYA
CONGRATS !!!!
HAPPY TO SEE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WORLD WIDE PAGES AND THE MIXED FEELINGS IT HAS GENERATED.
PROUD MOMENT PROVIDERS
i) THE MOVIE/MUSIC/SOUND RECORDING:PROVIDED PROUD MOMENTS TO INDIANS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
ii) DIVYA
YOU HAVE PROVIDED PROUD MOMENT TO US (PARENTS)BY WRITING THIS ARTICLE.
WISH THE ABOVE TWO TO PROVIDE MANY MORE PROUD MOMENTS IN FUTURE.
LOVING PARENTS
NOTE: NOTHING TO COMMENT ABOUT THE MOVIE, AS WE HAVE NOT SEEN YET
Ranj
On April 2, 2009 at 12:38 am
Eyy!
What a super write up– you should take up nonfiction. You definitely make your life interesting (so Raam has a wry smile?) and also talk about the movie in a way that all of us can relate. You should definitely write nonfiction. Call me sometime!
Love!