Slumdog Millonaire should we be proud of it

Unless you were out where there were no tv’s, papers, mobiles you might not have missed the news that this movie has won 8 oscars for 10 nominations it received. In those it includes the coveted best picture and best director trophies too. I am happy and all that but should we be proud of that.

First of all it was a movie mostly made by british technicians and directors. There were some indians involved too but look at the prizes other than the music and sound editing all the awards went to technicians outside India. Even though the story was written by and Indian it doesn’t make it an indian movie. Should we be proud that, none of the film industries in India found this story interesting to make a movie it took people from outside India to make such a movie? What does that tell us about our own movie industry? I don’t have anything against any British technicians or the indian technicians who worked on this movie. All I am saying is this movie was not made for indian audience and doesn’t come from the indian film industry.

The content of the movie also should not make us proud. It showcases the poor and poverty and intolerance of India. Which I don’t claim doesn’t exist, but I would have been more happy if it showed the communal harmony that most of the indians live in? And the tolerance of people against multiple faiths, cultures, etc.

I am happy that this movie won awards but I am not proud of it. When a movie that was meant for indian audience done by the indian film industry with leading indian actors then I will be proud of it. Even if it won in foreign language category. Something like Lagan or Chak De, would have made me proud.

But i am happy for all involved in Slumdog millionaire.