So in the past few years I rarely go out to the theatre. I don't really keep up with films/movies either unless it is some big buzz everyone is talking about which I don't usually pursue. Today one of my best friends asked me if I wanted to go see a movie at the Nickelodeon called "Slumdog Millionaire" which he said was based in India and in a heartbeat I said yes (it was also because I had nothing else to do).
So the movie is basically about a young orphan boy named Jamal Malik who is on India's version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" who has 1 question left before winning the grand prize of 20 million rupees. Before the last question the show breaks and soon after Jamal is arrested on suspision of cheating due to his background as a simple street kid who served Chai to info tech. workers. In hopes to persuade the officers (who tortured him a bit) that he was not cheating he noted how each question corresponded to a different event in his rough life going up. This included his life growing up as an orphan in the slums of Mumbai with only his brother by his side, and his childhood orphan friend, Latika, who he fell in love with and then lost a few times. With a life story for each question that Jamal had answered correctly on the show, the inspector deemed him worthy of being able to go back on the show to answer the final question due to his trust in Jamal telling the truth. I would note the purpose of him on the show but I will leave it to those are reading this to go out and see the movie for themselves. I am in no way a good movie reviewer and some of might have a hard time getting a sense of what this movie is about by the way I am writing.
Aside from the story line this movie has other interesting aspects to. It portrays the lifestyles of those in some of the poorest slums of India, religious violence, gang violence, caste/class prejudice, and the orphan lifestyle amongst a larger list of issues. There is also some comedy throughout the film, especially amongst Jamal and his brother. I am going to admit that this movie made me shed a couple of tears which I shouldn't be guilty of doing (fuck that boys don't cry sexist bullshit). It got me pretty well on an emotional level. Maybe because I have been to India and seen the poverty myself (although I was in 4th grade at the time and wasn't able to analyze the situation that well at the time) and no that all the issues portrayed in the movie exist due to my analyzation of India in my late middle school years onward. I really want to go back to India soon since my awareness of situations has progressed since the 4th grade. Who knows when I will though...
In conclusion, I am glad to say that it is easily one of my favorite movies now. Possibly because I felt that I had some sort of bond to the movie due to me being Indian and having the experience of visiting India(in addition to the fact that it was well made - directed by Danny Boyle who did Trainspotting).
Anyways, weather.com says its 39 degrees in Santa Cruz and that it feels like 34. This is cold as fuck for me. I think I'm going to cuddle up in my bed with some blankets and hopefully the heater will kick in faster.
If anyone is interested in seeing "Slumdog Millionaire" they should definately go while it is out at mostly Independent theatre's like the Nickelodeon. If you want someone to go with I am totally down to go see it again. Just let me know! Hopefully I'm not broke at the time of someone asking me.
Goodnight.
-Priyesh
