Will Bollywood-themed movie shine at the Oscars?

Film review: Slumdog Millionaire

Jamal, Salim, and Latika are three names this writer wouldn’t probably forget in a while. The trio forms the core of Danny Boyle’s masterpiece Slumdog Millionaire.

Set in and around the slums of India, the film is a highly appealing and inspiring fable of a young man’s extraordinary race against seemingly closing fates to chart his own destiny.

Born in the slums of Mumbai, Jamal and Salim are brothers who grew up barely educated by traditional schools. The only thing they learned from school was Alexander Dumas’ heroic tale of the three musketeers. And because there was only the two of them, they didn’t even bother to learn who the third musketeer was. It was enough that one was Arthos and the other was Porthos.

They live such a deplorable life that to make money they commandeered one outhouse and charge their neighbors a couple of rupees for every use. There is a very funny scene when Jamal is forced to dive into a pool of feces after Salim locked him out for taking a long time in using the outhouse that the audience should look out for — this establishes the contrasting characters and personalities the two brothers would eventually turn out when they grow older.

When the brothers are forcibly driven away from their shanties, the brothers found Latika, the only girl in their trio — the unknown third musketeer, and together they formed what would be the only family they will know the rest of their lives — lives that will be marked by unavoidable tragedy and unexpected triumph.

The movie opens with Jamal being tortured and interrogated by the police for allegedly cheating on the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Jamal has already won 10 million rupees and is one question away from winning 20 million rupees. Will he be allowed to return to the show and take on the final question? That will be sufficiently revealed in the end. But how the movie gets to the end is an astonishing story of one boy’s incredible journey through a life borne in poverty.

Educated by the street and toughened by an unforgiving world, Jamal is one survivor who isn’t even aware of his own struggle. He has only one goal in sight and it’s not money, not acclaim, nothing that the material world could buy. He just wants to get back what was taken from him when he was still a young boy.

Slumdog Millionaire could very well be the best film of 2008. Best is being used quite resolutely here. It’s been a while since I have written a full film review; not because there is a dearth of good movies, but because I was just lazy. But this movie made me change my mind; everyone ought to know about it, and everyone has just got to watch it. The spirit, the joy, the love, the surprising poignancy of the movie linger days after you’ve seen it.

Jamal is someone we can all cheer for. He is a virtuous character living in a society deteriorated by poverty, greed, corruption, violence, materialism, and anything that’s shiny and easy.

The film may have taken on an emphatically lighter approach to the numerous social issues it confronts but in a much larger scope, it tackles quite powerfully the dilemma of a poor, underprivileged boy trying to survive in an environment that could easily weaken even the strongest or bravest of men. Behind Boyle’s signature flashy camerawork and intended melodrama, the audience will be treated to an honest and unembellished depiction of third world poverty; of multi-color roofed shanties amidst a surrounding filled with filth and utter destitution on one side and almost immoral grand towers and extravagant high-rises on the other.

Indian newcomer Del Patel plays Jamal to perfection. His winning portrayal is certainly going to net him a Best Actor Oscar nomination come February. His performance has the bravado of a young man seasoned by pain and strengthened by an innocent vision of one day getting back that one love he has treasured all his life.

The movie is a painful but ultimately triumphant celebration of life.

If Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon introduced Chinese martial arts to mainstream world cinema, Slumdog Millionaire is Bollywood’s own bid for worldwide recognition — and there’s no doubt it is succeeding.

One dare asks: When will Philippine cinema’s turn be?