Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Mumbai and India at Oscars, what change and hope?

Slum Dog Millionaire and Smile Pinki won. Good news, in fact great news. Rahman and Pookutty has made us proud. I am really happy that they won.

But i would like to join the critics voice about calling Slum Dof Millionaire and Smile Pinki Indian movies. They are British and American. Lets please not call them Indian. They are Indian inspired.

This is a blog that i came across called tao-of-truth. Also see this rediff post. You must see the reader comments there. I don't subscribe to such extreme views. But I still feel that down trodden, poverty stricken and dirty third world countries and their incomprehensiblity to west rituals and practises appeals to them. A movie on the rising India or China or the changes happening here would not make such a great impact.

I am also really sad that the documentary Smile Pinki has not got as much coverage in India as much as it deserved. This documentary has clearly been over shadowed by Slum Dog. I personally believe Smile Pinki carries a very important message. Also, because of the star cast and glamour of Slum Dog it failed be highlighted. But I think, Smile Train charity and Dr. M C Modi are doing a great service to the society. We need to support them. I found that the American media was more exited about Smile Pinki than the Indian Media. There were some beautiful articles from New York Times and CNN.

The plans of the director Megan of showing it in India and other countries including to social meetings deserves welcome and thanks.

I read a rediff post on Smile Pinki and half the conversation was about Slum dog Millionaire. Some people were happy some angry. Angry of course about Smile Pinki not getting enough recognition. There was even an angry post that called Slum Dog artificial and Smile Pinki real.

One Film critic in Times went on to call Slum Dog an Instant Coffee. I dunno whether I agree with that or not as I have not seen the movie. But I am happy that many Indians won this year at the Oscar ceremony.

Also i would love to echo one thing that somebody posted in the rediff article. Rahman is already a magician, there is no need of a certificate called Oscar for him. But still its really great that Rahman is now seen and heard across the world.

I dunno whether world deserves Rahman but Rahman sure deserves all the audiance we can find in the world.

Slum Dog hoopla has taken off the little bit of publicity that Smile Pinki could have got. I hope that it really makes up by initiating some kinda change or at least a thought process to the life in Mumbai and its slums.

I read somebody's Post saying that we the world love to see pain, loss and dirt from a safe distance. He gave the example of Titanic, Life is Beautiful and Slum Dog winning Oscars. I wonder if a movie on Mumbai 26 11 2008 is on the anvil some where in the world.

Mumbai 26 11 2008, a day never to forget. 10 Terrorists, international coordination, local support spread death among common man and woman. The System still remains unmoved. Without even a blink, without any bleed or even a tear drop. We the people, staring at the open sky and deep, wonder if anything will change.

Don't wait for the change, be the Change. Mumbai 26 November 2008. A day not to forget.

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