Ryan Woods
India: Movie Essay
Professor Fenech
April 10, 2015
Slumdog Millionaire: Poverty Porn or Not?
Each and every day millions of people all over the world are traveling from one country to another. Whether by car, plane, boat, or even by foot they are experiencing new countries, cultures, religions, and entirely different ways of life. However, for a majority of the people this is not possible so they are limited to experiencing these countries, cultures, and religions in the life of a television screen or by reading a book. When this happens people may have a tendency to portray countries and their people in a way that might not be representative of reality. Ever since Slumdog Millionaire has come out in 2008 arguments have been …show more content…
The way the movie Slumdog Millionaire portrays urban poverty has been one of the most heated controversies by glamorizing the poor, poverty, and the slums of India. Although the portrayal of the lives in urban slums is the nature of the film, this story of an orphan from the slum ends up raising awareness all over the world on the issue of poverty far better than the documentary films or the articles that we read in the newspaper. While the movie got famous in the United States and was high praised, its view in India, where poverty is a part of everyday reality, was not received the best. The major hit against the film cites the use of the coined term "slumdog" that describes the people of the slums. People were very upset that they were associated along side a dog because they thought it was very derogatory toward the human race. No matter what the debates are about the film, I think it is a good sign in the right …show more content…
I hear bits and pieces of unforgettable stories, as drastic as the ones seen in the movies. On all accounts, then, Slumdog Millionaire is a piece of India that should always be remembered. It is a reminder of the uneasy reality, which drives people to take action towards a better society. Likewise, I hope that the current global attention to poverty will not fade away, but take a bigger step, because if people have the drive to end poverty, we can bring a genuine change in the lives of many people and their
India: Movie Essay
Professor Fenech
April 10, 2015
Slumdog Millionaire: Poverty Porn or Not?
Each and every day millions of people all over the world are traveling from one country to another. Whether by car, plane, boat, or even by foot they are experiencing new countries, cultures, religions, and entirely different ways of life. However, for a majority of the people this is not possible so they are limited to experiencing these countries, cultures, and religions in the life of a television screen or by reading a book. When this happens people may have a tendency to portray countries and their people in a way that might not be representative of reality. Ever since Slumdog Millionaire has come out in 2008 arguments have been …show more content…
The way the movie Slumdog Millionaire portrays urban poverty has been one of the most heated controversies by glamorizing the poor, poverty, and the slums of India. Although the portrayal of the lives in urban slums is the nature of the film, this story of an orphan from the slum ends up raising awareness all over the world on the issue of poverty far better than the documentary films or the articles that we read in the newspaper. While the movie got famous in the United States and was high praised, its view in India, where poverty is a part of everyday reality, was not received the best. The major hit against the film cites the use of the coined term "slumdog" that describes the people of the slums. People were very upset that they were associated along side a dog because they thought it was very derogatory toward the human race. No matter what the debates are about the film, I think it is a good sign in the right …show more content…
I hear bits and pieces of unforgettable stories, as drastic as the ones seen in the movies. On all accounts, then, Slumdog Millionaire is a piece of India that should always be remembered. It is a reminder of the uneasy reality, which drives people to take action towards a better society. Likewise, I hope that the current global attention to poverty will not fade away, but take a bigger step, because if people have the drive to end poverty, we can bring a genuine change in the lives of many people and their