Slumdog Millionaire, a movie by Danny Boyle, set in Mumbai, tells the story of Jamal Malik, a contestant on India’s version of ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’. Jamal was born in the slums of Mumbai with little education and was on his way to win the grand prize on the game show. Whilst on the show, he is suspected of cheating but little do his accusers know that Jamal’s life experience provides him with essential clues to answer each question. The movie alternates between flashbacks from Jamal’s somber past and scenes of his brutal interrogation in the police station and also his tension-filled time on the show. The term ‘slumdog’ is an informal word referring to an underprivileged person, typically a child who resides in a slum, an overcrowded area in a city with poor living conditions (MacMillandictionary.com). The main social group
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The slums are a major issue in Mumbai. According to the World Bank, it is estimated that 22.5 million people will be living in slums in Mumbai by 2025. Boyle utilizes his artistic freedom to craft a film to depict the portrayal of life in the slums in order to demonstrate its brutal living conditions to his world-wide audience. Without adequate education, electricity, clean running water and proper meals, viewers are able to comprehend why Jamal and Salim wish to escape these harsh living conditions. Another reason to depict Jamal in a game show victory is to represent that there is no limit on hopes and dreams. Even a ‘slumdog’ is able to achieve glory in a game show where ‘doctors and lawyers are unable to get beyond certain questions’, as indicated by the interrogating policeman. Boyle also uses the film to strike a balance between education and being street smart, where sometimes lessons are ‘learnt’ from the streets. This is perhaps how the blind, child beggar could easily identify Benjamin Franklin as the face on the hundred-dollar
The slums are a major issue in Mumbai. According to the World Bank, it is estimated that 22.5 million people will be living in slums in Mumbai by 2025. Boyle utilizes his artistic freedom to craft a film to depict the portrayal of life in the slums in order to demonstrate its brutal living conditions to his world-wide audience. Without adequate education, electricity, clean running water and proper meals, viewers are able to comprehend why Jamal and Salim wish to escape these harsh living conditions. Another reason to depict Jamal in a game show victory is to represent that there is no limit on hopes and dreams. Even a ‘slumdog’ is able to achieve glory in a game show where ‘doctors and lawyers are unable to get beyond certain questions’, as indicated by the interrogating policeman. Boyle also uses the film to strike a balance between education and being street smart, where sometimes lessons are ‘learnt’ from the streets. This is perhaps how the blind, child beggar could easily identify Benjamin Franklin as the face on the hundred-dollar