Film Analysis Essay

“Slumdog Millionaire” and the Exploitation of the Indian People

“Slumdog Millionaire” paints a picture of the rise out of poverty that is not only unrealistic but in some ways disregards the real issues surrounding the people of India. The main character Jamal Malik, played by Dev Patel, grows up in one of the most poverty stricken areas of Mumbai, India but contrary to his upbringing in the Juhu Slum, he has a British accent. Danny Boyle, director of “Slumdog Millionaire” may have won an Oscar but it was merely for the Americanization of the film. Had “Slumdog” maintained accurate accents, or used one of the Dravidian languages, it would have been pushed into the foreign film category, which by American standards holds about as much weight as a Grammy in smooth jazz. The beginning of “Slumdog Millionaire” begins like “Oliver Twist” and ends in a way Danny Boyle has become famous for; an unrealistic happy and yet tragic ending.

Young Jamal, played by Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, and his older brother Salim, played by Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, are orphaned early on as a result of religious violence between Muslim and Hindu extremists. The film clearly shows only the side that puts the Hindu on the offense of the conflict which is a continuance of what is now known as the Mumbai Riots; while Jamal, Salim and the other Muslims in his slum are apparently attacked without cause. The religious intolerance between Hindu and Muslims in India is a two sided issue but Boyle, in an attempt to make the viewer gain attachments to his characters, decided to add to the conflict by taking sides. Jamal, Salim and a young girl named Latika, played by Rubina Ali, are now alone and in danger of being killed in the most poverty stricken slum of Mumbai, India and they need to get out. The older Jamal, Salim, played by Madhur Mittal and Latika, played by Freida Pinto have gone from slum to abused child laborers and ultimately are separated from each other. Danny Boyle maintains a flashback montage showing Jamal’s quest to find Latika and Salim, through his journey to being a contestant on the Indian “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” and the investigation that ensues to his success on the show.  

"We see all this every day," says Shikha Goyal, a Mumbai-based public relations executive who left halfway through the film. "You can't live in Mumbai without seeing children begging at traffic lights and passing by slums on your way to work. But I don't want to be reminded of that on a Saturday evening. (time.com, 2009)" Goyal is describing why India’s poverty will never change; nobody wants to admit it is there. “Slumdog Millionaire” shows the poverty that exists in India for half of the movie, which may be the strongest point the film has considering many Indian viewers refused to see the film at all. The India people do not want to be reminded that they are poor. Rags to riches stories are only effective motivators if the riches were achieved through hard work; if the reward is achievable for any person equally. While Jamal’s life experiences helped lead him to his 20 million rupee prize, the outcome is not realistic. “Slumdog” is more of a reminder to the people of Mumbai that they have no way out of poverty, except through a miracle.

Why Danny Boyle decided to Americanize “Slumdog Millionaire” is an easy assumption: even with India’s population over one billion people (Masci, 2002), making the movie attractive to America was much more profitable. From the use of music from artist M.I.A. to the British-Indian accented characters, even though they were never truly educated, the film aims at tugging at the heartstrings of an American audience; and it works. Boyle’s work allows us to view one Indian boy as a hero while leaving the rest of India as what he must escape. The only thing real about the “Slumdog Millionaire” is the use of Indian people and Indian places as the plot of the film; otherwise the film does not display any of the issues India is faced with on a realistic level.

In suit with the rest of the movie, Jamal wins his 20 million rupees and gets his girl, typical of a Hollywood happy ending. Salim on the other hand stands as the true martyr of the film, giving his own life so his brother and Latika can reunite; even through the flashback all is forgotten about the slums and struggles and outcome of Salim’s selfless act. End scene, cue pop Indian dance scene and roll credits. “Slumdog Millionaire” may have won 8 academy awards but it didn’t win the hearts of the people that matter the most: the true “slumdogs” of India. You may know a good movie when you see one, and in terms of writing, directing and acting, “Slumdog Millionaire” truly is a good movie. But besides entertainment what had anyone gained? India is still poor, America is still ignorant to the real issue of poverty in India and a whole sect of people and their lives have been exploited. Danny Boyle is sitting comfortably in his mansion polishing that Oscar while the real Salim Malik’s of the world are polishing shoes. Hope it feels good Danny.

Works Cited

IMDB. Slumdog Millionaire. IMDB.com, n.p., n.d. Web. March 15, 2011

Masci, David. Emerging India: Can it Remain an Open and Tolerant Society? CQ Researcher.      2002. Web. March 15, 2011.

Singh, Madhur. “Slumdog Millionaire, an Oscar Favorite, is No Hit in India.” Time Magazine.      Jan. 26, 2009. Web. March 15, 2011.

Slumdog Millionaire. Dir. Danny Boyle. Perf. Dev Patel, Irrfan Khan, Frieda Pinto, Madhur

Mittal, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail. Fox                                     Searchlight/Warner Bros, 2008. Film.