India's Titanic???

On Slumdog Millionaire ‘phenomenon’, I read an article few days ago paper that how we react to SM will define how mature we are as a society. Yeah right! And especially when I read reviews of SM which say 'A peep into soul of India' I cringe. And this is what Nirpal Dhaliwal from Guardian says

“so many Indians will be upset about a westerner having a better understanding of their country than they do.

The bitter truth is, Slumdog Millionaire could only have been made by westerners.

As an outsider, he saw the truth that middle-class Indians are too often inured to: that countless people exist in conditions close to hell yet maintain a breath-taking exuberance, dignity and decency. These people embody the tremendous spirit and strength of India and its civilisation. They deserve the attention of its film-makers. I have no doubt that Slumdog Millionaire will encourage many more honest films to be produced in India. But they should be ashamed that it took a white man to show India how to do it.”

Am I allowed to pass judgment on this loser? Look at this. SM could have been made by Westerners. Or ‘ they should be ashamed that it took a white man to show India how to do it’. Mr. Dhaliwal, stop sucking up to your bosses at the Guardian. I mean really! Of course, white men know India better. And it took you SM to figure that out. Rigggghttt!

I saw the movie yesterday and it is nothing but a masala movie. It is slickly made with great editing but no way it is the real India. It is as real India as Paris Hilton or Britney Spears is real America. Let me make it clear here that I don't think I alone represent the soul of this country and neither do my experiences. But I represent one aspect of this country, just like people in slums or I-bankers of Nariman point. Also I am aware of the fact that close to 70% of this country live below the poverty line or just above it. But what enrages me is calling ‘poverty and depravity and the spirit of these Slumdogs the soul of this country time and again and again and again while conveniently glossing over the other aspects. If Mr. Dhaliwal says that Indian movies gloss over the ‘underbelly’ then be assured that movies about India in the west pander the ‘underbelly’ glossing over the rest. How sad!

Now, I am sure that there are people who would blame me for being jingoistic simply because the ‘poor India’ is portrayed here. I do not feel any shame or embarrassment, anger or resentment or any such thing. It’s a movie that could have been set in ghettos of Brazil or shanties of Mexico City or in any urban squalor. But what enrages me is the epithets this movie is getting in spite of the ‘glossing’ over.

And here is an example. Interview Mr. Naseeruddin Shan on A Wednesday from HT.

Why wasn’t the film taken to festivals and pitched for international awards?
Neeraj: Ours is not a festival film, it’s only for private consumption. (Smiles)
Naseer: Our producers are lazy chaps. They didn’t want to move their butts from their offices to take the film to international festivals. (Smiles) Jokes apart, A Wednesday should have gone to the festivals but it didn’t because the goras have their own preconceived notions. (Making a face) According to the guys at the Toronto Film Festival, our movie didn’t conform to their ideas about India.

Well, even if Mr. Naseeruddin Shah is exaggerating the ‘Gora’ effect, what does Mr. Dhaliwal, what do you have to say about this?

But you know what, there are so many positives from the movie. If an Indian had made the movie, it would at best be in one category – best foreign movie. But now its in 10 categories. Look at the publicity the movie is garnering. AR Rehman is good in the movie, but it isn’t his best by any count. Roja, Dil Se, Kaanathil Mutham Vittal, Dil Se, Bombay and of course Thiruda Thiruda are one or even two notches higher. But he is getting all the global attention which he rightly deserves and the western audiences will now listen to his other compositions. The other thing that I am happy about is that this is a great business opportunity for India with 10 Oscar nominations. As ARR, put it very nicely, ‘It is a great energy booster for the creative folks in India’. I expect more India based movies, more Indian actors, technicians and musicians getting more opportunities on a larger stage. So let us just enjoy this moment, revel in our awards and move on, glossing over these discussions :P

Edited to Add: Khalid Mohammed who writes in HT has always been one of my favourite movie writers/ critics. His reviews of most Hindi movies were spot on. But after awarding 5 stars to SM, I have just one question for him. If, SM were made in India, by one of the Indian directors, then would you Mr. Khalid Mohammed view it through the same forgiving eyes?

‘Inevitably, that classic forgiveness factor is involved in overlooking several implausible points like the reunion with blinded child beggar. Then there are omissions .. and allowance of a clipped British accent … more co incidences than you could catch in a TV soap.’ Hah! So will you now allow the ‘forgiveness factor’ in all your reviews of Hindi movies?

Edited to add again: Waiting for the media to call SM India’s Titanic soon. Given our history of India’s 9/11 etc.