The Indian Slumdog

23rd February 2009, 01:00:41AM, Munich, Germany.

The live telecast of the Oscar ceremony has just begun. The over dressed presenter has been trying to get as many celebs as possible to get to speak to him. While the other was listing out the competition in the various categories and the chances of winning the Oscar for the German Movie, "Der Baader Meinhof Komplex".

However, what interests me, and that have kept me awake until this late hour, is the result of the "Best Picture" category. The result however is already enclosed in one of those golden envelopes to be opened in front of millions of viewers, very shortly. Yet, to many the winner is pretty clear. The Slumdog Millionaire. The BBC seems to have gone a step ahead to promote its home talent with the following headline.

23rd February 2009, 23:26:17AM, Munich, Germany.

The results are out. Indeed it is the "Slumdog Millionaire".

Anyways, the point is not if the "Slumdog Millionaire" won or lost it, but the very theme of the Movie: The Slumdog.

I have read several articles where authors have vehemently criticized the movie while some even called on to boycott it. Apparently even the Big B wasnt very impressed. And i pause to think: why is it so hard for so many Indians to digest the movie? All it portrayed was the ground reality. The Indian "underbelly". Was'nt it???

To me, the portrayal of the slums of Mumbai, in the movie, was not very offensive. Although it did cause a little discomfort, to watch how graphically it was presented. In fact, i was more uncomfortable, when i saw Shahrukh Khan getting down a Helicopter, and walking elegantly down the runway and through the magnificent halls of his palace, to be greeted by his Arthi wielding mother, in the movie, K3G.

To start with, why should one feel offensive about it? Slums are just part of every city's landscape in India. Some have even become their identity, as is the case with Dharavi. Weather one likes it or not, it is true. And there is no place for denial.

On the other side, it should however be noted that many in the west "still" see India as a place to achieve spiritual nirvana than as a place to make business, as a place with littering holy cows than four-lane highways, as a place where girl children are despised and damned to death than where they are loved and given equal opportunity in every aspect of life and as a place of slums and slumdogs than places of innovative ideas and hard-working citizens trying to make a difference, in a multi-cultural, secular, and a relatively weak democracy.

However, one should be thoughtful than ashamed and should tune-in to the melodious track of "Jai-Ho" and be inspired, than undermining one's spirit of hard-work and the focussed goal of reaching the top.

The Indian Slumdog,

- Prakash.