ThingsPondered

Let’s explore the common features.  Both give the viewer unvarnished pictures of Indian poverty.  Furthermore, both focus on children for the majority of the story.   In addition, the films were made in the last 5 years by Brits in India, although Slumdog is more of a cooperative effort between Brits and Indians.

Slumdog was completed in 2008 and is in theatres now (January 2009.)  Its story occurs in the city of Mumbai (Bombay.)    Although it is not officially a Bollywood film, it contains many of the Bollywood elements such as melodrama, star-crossed lovers, and much good music.  In contrast,  Born is a 2004 documentary, transpiring in Kolkata (Calcutta.)  It won an Oscar in 2005 for best documentary, whereas Slumdog has yet to be judged.  Slumdog is listed as R-rated comedy-drama, which is a good way to describe it, though I think that it comes close to fantasy, as well.  Many things are left unexplained or poorly developed, asking the viewer to willingly abandon expectations of credulity.  On the other hand, as Born is a documentary – it is totally true in revealing its happy or less-than-happy endings for various characters.   Many newspaper reviews call Slumdog a feel-good movie, but I beg to differ.  The many instances of graphic violence in Slumdog surprised me and did not make me feel good.  Furthermore, I think that Born is much more uplifting because it is more than “possible;” its happy resolutions are real.

One thing I am glad both pix do is contribute to American knowledge and respect and probably appreciation of things Indian.  Sometimes, persons in the U.S. focus on perceived negatives of the brother and sister humans who do not speak English or worship in Judeo-Christian establishments.  Both of these movies draw the viewer empathetically into the very difficult and courageous lives of the characters.  The films succeed in changing Indian people from “them” into “us.”

Trackback URI | Comments RSS