So, Did you like the movie? I asked my manager. Before going to the movie, he was pretty excited about watching a glimpse of India and listening to the famous oscar winning scores. However, all I can find was a suppressed pity on his face. The pity was crying loud "Poor Indians", "Oppressed Indians" and all the negative adjectives I could relate to.
In a striking contrast to my otherwise placid nature of taking the things lightly, I confronted him upfront and asked a reason for being so sympathetic towards my nation. He was particularly bothered about the 'Oil-Pouring' scene where the children are made handicap to earn money for their masters. Though, I admitted that it was an ugly truth but I had to also acknowledge the progress India has made and how the quality of life has improved over the years. I plainly told him that such things are under scanner these days and as media and government authorities are a lot more stringent these days.
So, this incident forced me to write something on this movie. The movie was surely made in a negative spirit. I am not saying that the things shown in the movie are totally false and came out of no where. But take a look at below points and then think, is our society really that bad??
1. It is in the slums that a child's running nose is wiped by his neighbors and with love, they reprimand him for playing all day.
2. It is in the slums that one can decide the menu of his dinner based on the suggestions of the "Pados wali Aunty'.
3. It is in the slums that no morning goes without a general chitchat about general problems like water or light or blah blah blah
4. It is in the slums that the entire community have common problems and they look for a collective solution.
5. It is in the slums that people irrespective of their religion drink water from the same handpump.
6. Its in the general compartment of the train, where people give their suggestions on politics, their respective careers and dont feel ashamed of disturbing the privacy of each other.
7. There may be forced prostitution in India ( which is bad) but what about the west where a school going gal earns 4000 pounds per month out of the same filth, she had no compulsions but thats her freedom.
8. The oil pouring scene is real touchy ( I almost had goosebumps) . However, watch American Gangster and what was done there was as henious as this crime. Distributing the Maijuana to the young generation is equally abhorable but they havent shown it with a feeling of guilt.
9. Media shows the hooligans beat some public in pub. I appreciate media for bringing it to notice and they should be punished. But why media never shows, the Saraswati Shishu Mandir that RSS is running across India. In villages, where convents go and do force conversions, Saraswati Shishu Mandirs ask ppl to follow their original religion and shoudl focus on education for their betterment.
10. Why Media never shown the images of RSS workers picking the charred bodies when planes collided in Charkhi Daadri and no NGO and govt body was there for quite sometime.
11. Why Media never shows the women upliftment programs, these NGOs are running. They have done so much for the intellectual and economic upliftment of the society but Media is bothered about a few outspoken persons (like Muthalik, Togadiya and others). To book Varun Gandi under NSA is again a sign of where we are heading. Why not book Gilani for his demand of applying Islamic Rule and castigating the concept of democracy itself or Imam of Jama Masjid under NSA when he refused to pray for Kargil Soldiers. Nobody dared to cover that statement and ask for his apology because we are SECULAR.
I am not saying that things shown in Slum dog are false, they are a glaring reality but we dont need a brit to create sympathy in the hearts of the others. This movie has aimed at creating a feeling of pity for India which is not any proud citizen would be pleased with .
So, this movie is just a hype created by Media and doesn't potray the problems or even the spirit of India in a positive spirit. Indian cinema has seen many a masterpieces like Salam Bombay , Dharavi, Ardh Satya and Mother India which has portrayed similar problems in our society.
At the ending note, I remember 'Robert David Gregory's statement' from his book 'Shantaram'- Try stuffing thrice as many people in a country like France and they will fight till the last drop of blood is there but one can't imagine Indians doing that to each other, who feel guilty even if their feet touches yours by fault and ask for the forgiveness from the almighty. So, this movie is nothing classic apart from a few technicalities like Editing. you call Jai Ho as a Masterpiece, I would anyday prefer to listen to Rehman's other songs than Jai Ho...
Seriously, JAI HO
In a striking contrast to my otherwise placid nature of taking the things lightly, I confronted him upfront and asked a reason for being so sympathetic towards my nation. He was particularly bothered about the 'Oil-Pouring' scene where the children are made handicap to earn money for their masters. Though, I admitted that it was an ugly truth but I had to also acknowledge the progress India has made and how the quality of life has improved over the years. I plainly told him that such things are under scanner these days and as media and government authorities are a lot more stringent these days.
So, this incident forced me to write something on this movie. The movie was surely made in a negative spirit. I am not saying that the things shown in the movie are totally false and came out of no where. But take a look at below points and then think, is our society really that bad??
1. It is in the slums that a child's running nose is wiped by his neighbors and with love, they reprimand him for playing all day.
2. It is in the slums that one can decide the menu of his dinner based on the suggestions of the "Pados wali Aunty'.
3. It is in the slums that no morning goes without a general chitchat about general problems like water or light or blah blah blah
4. It is in the slums that the entire community have common problems and they look for a collective solution.
5. It is in the slums that people irrespective of their religion drink water from the same handpump.
6. Its in the general compartment of the train, where people give their suggestions on politics, their respective careers and dont feel ashamed of disturbing the privacy of each other.
7. There may be forced prostitution in India ( which is bad) but what about the west where a school going gal earns 4000 pounds per month out of the same filth, she had no compulsions but thats her freedom.
8. The oil pouring scene is real touchy ( I almost had goosebumps) . However, watch American Gangster and what was done there was as henious as this crime. Distributing the Maijuana to the young generation is equally abhorable but they havent shown it with a feeling of guilt.
9. Media shows the hooligans beat some public in pub. I appreciate media for bringing it to notice and they should be punished. But why media never shows, the Saraswati Shishu Mandir that RSS is running across India. In villages, where convents go and do force conversions, Saraswati Shishu Mandirs ask ppl to follow their original religion and shoudl focus on education for their betterment.
10. Why Media never shown the images of RSS workers picking the charred bodies when planes collided in Charkhi Daadri and no NGO and govt body was there for quite sometime.
11. Why Media never shows the women upliftment programs, these NGOs are running. They have done so much for the intellectual and economic upliftment of the society but Media is bothered about a few outspoken persons (like Muthalik, Togadiya and others). To book Varun Gandi under NSA is again a sign of where we are heading. Why not book Gilani for his demand of applying Islamic Rule and castigating the concept of democracy itself or Imam of Jama Masjid under NSA when he refused to pray for Kargil Soldiers. Nobody dared to cover that statement and ask for his apology because we are SECULAR.
I am not saying that things shown in Slum dog are false, they are a glaring reality but we dont need a brit to create sympathy in the hearts of the others. This movie has aimed at creating a feeling of pity for India which is not any proud citizen would be pleased with .
So, this movie is just a hype created by Media and doesn't potray the problems or even the spirit of India in a positive spirit. Indian cinema has seen many a masterpieces like Salam Bombay , Dharavi, Ardh Satya and Mother India which has portrayed similar problems in our society.
At the ending note, I remember 'Robert David Gregory's statement' from his book 'Shantaram'- Try stuffing thrice as many people in a country like France and they will fight till the last drop of blood is there but one can't imagine Indians doing that to each other, who feel guilty even if their feet touches yours by fault and ask for the forgiveness from the almighty. So, this movie is nothing classic apart from a few technicalities like Editing. you call Jai Ho as a Masterpiece, I would anyday prefer to listen to Rehman's other songs than Jai Ho...
Seriously, JAI HO
3 comments:
I liked the movie as a whole package. When I first saw the movie, it never came to my mind that they are showing Indians in bad or poor light. I thought the story was engaging even if it was flawed. The direction of the first half of the movie was as good as anyone.
I agree with some of the points you made about the slum society but the fact is that everyone living in slums wants to get out of it one day. Its not an ideal place to live for anyone despite the points that you stress.
You make a point about American gangsters but the fact is that Hollywood has always shown the bad side of West as well as good so why should we Indians cringe at showing our bad side.
I have no sympathy for RSS and its hooligans. Even Hamas does good work in Middle east but its still a terrorist organization. There is always a hidden agenda of these organizations as is the case with RSS who wants to push its Hindutva agenda.
@Ricky,
I can say, we agree to disagree. Your points are valid and true. Its just that I used to love to jump in discussions and create a stir but just with in two weeks, I see myself not interested in arguments at all.
nice post ! Hope someone from the media reads it :)
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