Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire and it's Hindi version, Slumdog Crorepati, opened across India this weekend. Judging by the many stories in the paper over the last few weeks, in both the news sections and the fluffy Bollywood pages, you would have thought most Indians had already viewed the movie...because they've already passed judgement.

On one hand, they're extremely proud, because this movie has bagged five of the six Critics' Choice awards it was nominated for, and all four of its Golden Globe nominations. It's also been nominated for eleven BAFTA's and ten Oscars. Indians like over-achieving.

But on the other hand, it wasn't made in Bollywood, some say, so even though it's a good movie, it's not as good as it would have been if it had been made in Mumbai (read: by an Indian). Okay, right now I can't put my finger on any Bollywood movie with ten Oscar nominations (because there never has been any...)

And then there's the indignant Indian, the blogger who described the movie thus:
"Slumdog Millionaire is putting India on the world map for all the wrong reasons. On the contrary, it is a pornography of poverty, which paints India as a country of slums, exploitation and class divide." Well...yeah. Take off your rose tinted glasses, Mr Blogger. As an outsider I can see poverty, exploitation and class divide. And you forgot corruption...