Q&A FILMI ISTYLE

The opening sequence in Slumdog Millionaire shows a lanky yet suave looking boy in his late teens being tortured in a police lock up, the officer on duty saying; we know you cheated, just tell us how. The viewer tends to summarise the entire movie then and there,thinking, uh huh they implicated a contestant who had just became a millionaire because of his background?, that's sad.But hold on, the writer of the novel, from whose material the movie is made, had other plans, total filmi plans which apparently a certain Mr. Boyle appreciated a lot.Welcome then to the world of Jamaal, a boy of the rugged slums who grows up running around semi naked on the streets covered with( you wouldn't believe what) to fetch an autograph of the iconic Mr Bachhan.That this little encounter with big B and other facets of the tiny tot's roller coaster life has some significance in his millionaire avatar is the heart and soul of this 'see it to believe it story'. The film has an impact on the mind of the viewer, no doubt about that, the plausibility of the story not withstanding. We see a grown up Jamaal on the sets of KBC anchored by Anil Kapoor (extraordinary), getting over question after question with a determined look on his face.He actually is perplexed by the choice of questions as is revealed later.Possibility has a thing with timing, improbability has a thing with situations, and here, we encounter improbable possibility, and gulp it down because it is bollywood filmy ways being celebrated by a hollywood director.What more do you want?.Sit back then, and soak in the craftiness of a seasoned Mr Boyle, as he embarks on a back and forth narrative, well orchestrated sequences, and extra dollops of high drama.You laugh at the silly masala movies? Shame on you! This guy from far, takes every possible masala trick, and presents a rollicking rags to riches saga with all the seriousness and intensity that he would otherwise display for his native production.The obvious glitches include the choice of the teenage couple, both look very unlike slum kids and carry an accent straight out of the ABCD flicks that we see.The much hyped music is by far a strange mix of 90's bollywood and Rehmanised rap.Acting department if ably led by Anil Kapoor, the rest of the cast merely holding a candle to the real star.The production values expectedly are great, the visual chutzpah evident.Camera is deftly handled, so is the rich cinematoraphy. All in all, you get value for money, who said there cannot be a much celebrated globalised version of 'in our face'desi drama?.That's exactly what brings the west to east.