A heartwarming rags-to-riches story

MANILA, Philippines – The rich are getting richer. The poor are poorer than ever. But beyond this reality lies a dream, a hope and a love so true that it can ultimately provide the answers to all of life’s questions. In Slumdog Millionaire, discover why love is the greatest fortune one man can have.

Jamal Malik, 18-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees (P19-M) on India’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Arrested on suspicion of cheating, he tells the police the incredible story of his life on the streets, and of the girl he loved and lost. But what is a kid with no interest in money doing on the show? And how is it he knows all the answers?  

A rags-to-riches story of a Mumbai slum dweller, Slumdog Millionaire is directed by Danny Boyle and bagged eight major awards in this year’s Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Director. It also won five Critics’ Choice awards, four Golden Globes, and seven BAFTA awards.

In the heat of shooting under tight time constraints and challenging conditions, Boyle explains that it made sense to remain as faithful as possible to Simon Beaufoy’s blueprint.

When Boyle first arrived in Mumbai, the mixture of absolute poverty and the country’s huge technical advancement fascinated him.

The casting process took Boyle all over the US, Canada, the UK and India in search of the right actors that could deliver a convincing performance in English and also fit across the three ages of the story — seven, 13, and 18.

Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail who plays the young Salim and Rubina Ali, who plays the young Latika, were eventually cast from the slums but have since been placed into education by the production. Boyle’s difficulty in finding his adult Jamal was mainly one of “look.” Although casting screenings were held in Mumbai, Calcutta, Delhi and Chennai, the team found that most of the candidates were too old for the part or were surprisingly the wrong shape. Until they found young actor Dev Patel.

Slumdog Millionaire opens April 11 in theaters.