In the many tales of Aesop, one comes to mind of the fox and the crane. The fox invites the crane for dinner and serves it in a plate. The crane returns the favor by inviting the fox for a dinner, which is served in a flask! Both serve what they are used to, but the other way around is difficult.
India is fast becoming a place where the crane and the fox need to co-exist. The dinner here being the movie "Slumxxx Millionaire". First came the accolades, the Golden Globes, the Oscar nominations...now come the dung-bombs.
1.India is shown in a poor light!
A movie about 3 slum kids. I guess Kekta Kapoor should have made this. All characters should have had more mascara and lipstick and should have been draped in fine brocade. Afterall, India is the land of fabric, aint it? Rise up foxes!! A crane cannot eat in a plate! The movies in US have also portrayed some of the abject poverty that exists in the ghettos of America. That you have not seen it, is YOUR fault. If u want to see one such flick, go watch Will Smith's "The Pursuit of Happyness" or Eminem's "8 Mile". Poverty, dsyfunctional social/family structure and other such "vices" in the US has been highlighted in enough movies.
On the contrary, I feel that this is a sign of greatness-en route. As a benchmark, US is what it is today, because it gives one the freedom of speech, the leniency to portray one's thoughts, one's words via cinema and other media. There are nations in the world where it is illegal to even make or screen cinema. DO we want to be one of those or draw parallels to a higher power? It is only in the US that Michael Moore was able to make and screen a movie critical of the President in power!!
2. The group in Goa, the individual in Patna - all are objecting to the word "Dog" in Slumdog!!
Again cranes...in "fox"-ese (which happens to be English here), in any sports, the weaker team is called under-"DOG". How ridiculous can we as a nation get? The word "DOG" is a part of the same theme! And even the creator has given his intentions on this loud and clear. Then why the litigation? And where were you, when the reservations bill was passed without debate? OR where were you, when inspite of everything, the Womens Representation Bill does not pass yet? There are real burning "dogs" amongst us, yet, you choose to file litigation over the literary one? Bow-wow!
Having criticized the opponents so far, I do agree that any writer, painter, movie-maker worth their salt, seeking international recognition, would taste better success by portraying a tattered, shabby, dirty, corrupt India.
But then, isnt this a reality? India is corrupt, shabby, dirty and all that. And then there is more to it. I myself, proudly Indian, know not the full truth to talk about India. Hence my advice to all is - Let SM be a movie about Jamal Malik - a guy from India. It is not India. What i like about this movie is the fact that through the length of the movie, the characters have an uncanny hold on you - start to end.
To conclude - Its easy to read a couple lines, form an opinion and continue to harangue. But we are poised at a position for greatness. We have to go the extra mile beyond the obvious and comprehend what life is beyond our well!! Heres to that journey...
And btw...Kudos Rahman!
India is fast becoming a place where the crane and the fox need to co-exist. The dinner here being the movie "Slumxxx Millionaire". First came the accolades, the Golden Globes, the Oscar nominations...now come the dung-bombs.
1.India is shown in a poor light!
A movie about 3 slum kids. I guess Kekta Kapoor should have made this. All characters should have had more mascara and lipstick and should have been draped in fine brocade. Afterall, India is the land of fabric, aint it? Rise up foxes!! A crane cannot eat in a plate! The movies in US have also portrayed some of the abject poverty that exists in the ghettos of America. That you have not seen it, is YOUR fault. If u want to see one such flick, go watch Will Smith's "The Pursuit of Happyness" or Eminem's "8 Mile". Poverty, dsyfunctional social/family structure and other such "vices" in the US has been highlighted in enough movies.
On the contrary, I feel that this is a sign of greatness-en route. As a benchmark, US is what it is today, because it gives one the freedom of speech, the leniency to portray one's thoughts, one's words via cinema and other media. There are nations in the world where it is illegal to even make or screen cinema. DO we want to be one of those or draw parallels to a higher power? It is only in the US that Michael Moore was able to make and screen a movie critical of the President in power!!
2. The group in Goa, the individual in Patna - all are objecting to the word "Dog" in Slumdog!!
Again cranes...in "fox"-ese (which happens to be English here), in any sports, the weaker team is called under-"DOG". How ridiculous can we as a nation get? The word "DOG" is a part of the same theme! And even the creator has given his intentions on this loud and clear. Then why the litigation? And where were you, when the reservations bill was passed without debate? OR where were you, when inspite of everything, the Womens Representation Bill does not pass yet? There are real burning "dogs" amongst us, yet, you choose to file litigation over the literary one? Bow-wow!
Having criticized the opponents so far, I do agree that any writer, painter, movie-maker worth their salt, seeking international recognition, would taste better success by portraying a tattered, shabby, dirty, corrupt India.
But then, isnt this a reality? India is corrupt, shabby, dirty and all that. And then there is more to it. I myself, proudly Indian, know not the full truth to talk about India. Hence my advice to all is - Let SM be a movie about Jamal Malik - a guy from India. It is not India. What i like about this movie is the fact that through the length of the movie, the characters have an uncanny hold on you - start to end.
To conclude - Its easy to read a couple lines, form an opinion and continue to harangue. But we are poised at a position for greatness. We have to go the extra mile beyond the obvious and comprehend what life is beyond our well!! Heres to that journey...
And btw...Kudos Rahman!
