For a million Slumdog Millionaires
I believe that a big way to identify the zeitgeist of a generation is through film. The post-reform generation doesn’t automatically understand the hold that 1970s and 1980s Hindi film had on those of us who were in their twenties when these movies came out. More than anything else - plot, actors, cinematography - films like Zanjeer, Agneepath and Tezaab were angry. Their heroes - Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Mithun Chakraborty - were constantly getting into fights with corrupt and powerful figures, from crooked politicians to white-suited mafiosi. These movies were a cultural response to the helplessness many Indians felt in the face of incompetent governments, a stagnant economy mired in massive red tape, and a surging black market.
The tone of films made in and about India today is very different. It probably comes across most clearly in the plot of Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle’s paean to Bombay, our vibrant, hellish, colourful and eternally entrepreneurial city. The movie follows Jamal Malik, as he goes from a young boy in the slums to a contestant on a game show on the verge of winning twenty million rupees.
The movie is at its heart, about aspiration, and about dreams coming true. This ‘common man’ Jamal, is not angry, like the Indian men of the 1970s. He is both hopeful and relentless, defiant and proud of his origins even as the people around him call him a ’slumdog’. He knows better - that it doesn’t matter where you come from, only where you are headed.
This dream of making it big is now writ large in our films. I had met Jaideep Sahni, the scriptwriter of Chak De, Bunty Aur Babli and Company, last year and during our conversation - I am a great fan of his movies - he pointed out how these films were merely following Indian sentiment today. In real life, as in movies like Chak De and Slumdog, young people who come from small towns or desperate poverty are searching for a better life, and truly believe they have a real chance of success. They have examples to look up to - Mahendra Dhoni, Sunil Mittal, Dhirubhai Ambani. The market beckons, with its possibilities.
This story however, is still incomplete. What we have to do now is ensure that the opportunities in the Indian economy match the aspirations of the people - that this young, entrepreneurial generation get the chances they need.
Tags: Agneepath, Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Bollywood, Bunty Aur Babli, Chak De, Company, Mithun Chakraborty, Slumdog Millionaire, Tezaab, Zanjeer
January 15th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Sir,
Your movie analysis was very educative. Common Indian changed from Helpless to Aspirant. Since last two decades India did progress very well and produced great leaders in all sector.
The only fear that this should not get converted into greed and lust that create debacle like Satyam. Lately I read about fraud of Hiranandani Constructions in Powai, Mumbai. Off course not to mention about Wipro was black listed by World Bank.
I read a book 5 Minds for the future by Howard Gardner. In his book he stressed about Ethics. Hope all Business Entrepreneurs will value more for Ethics than balance sheet.
Digambar
January 15th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Dear Sir,
Beautiful write-up. The movie truly touches a cord with all of us who are aspiring to make a mark. If I may, I’d like to point out that you missed out one name to the glittering list of examples: Mr Nandan Nilekani. Through Infosys, Mr Narayanmurthy, you and all the people associated with it - showed us that with hard work and dedication - anything is possible. Thank you for being an example yourself.
Best Regards,
Priyom Sarkar
January 15th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
I have a great respect for you and your contributions. However sometimes i find your views too simplistic and over optimistic, especially after reading your book. We can go to any time of Indian cinema and pick and choose films of our choice to suit our argument. The usual trend that films in general adopt is go on a successful formula. If u find a “Angry young man” formula working at the box office then u can see a flurry of such films. This is not just for indian cinema but for Hollywood too. I am not sure how successful Slumdog Millionaire (SM) will be if the very same film is directed by an Indian. I dont deny the fact that the opportunities in India is much better than the pre-1991 era, however we get easily satisfied with little success and mediocrity. I hope and wish our demoCRAZY does not pull us down again from this budding optimism for it has done irreconcilable enough damage.
January 16th, 2009 at 4:41 am
Excellent analysis of how movies reflect mood of the society itself. Mr. Amitabh Bachchan seems to have had a few issues with the movie -
(a) India being shown in a bad light - well it is what it is - what happens in the slums of India is probably much worse than what was shown in the movie and just like you said Nandan, movies are a reflection of the society itself. Do not understand why we have to be defensive about it. The debate should not be that India was shown in a bad light by a westerner, debate should be about how do we solve the problems depicted in the movie! And Mr. Bachchan misses the point that the core of the movie and its storyline has very less to do with the slums and all the negativity around it, actually the movie is about a very positive story about hope, love and success when the odds couldn’t have been worse!
(b) Mr. Bachchan also argues that the SM is getting recognition only because it has been made by a westerner. I do not agree with him on that as well. How many Indian movie makers make movies for an international audience and promote / distribute their movies on an international scale? Hardly any! SM is getting recognition because the director has done an excellent job of telling an Indian story to an international audience and people all over the world have seen and liked the movie. Why was Gandhi such a blockbuster all across the world and got so many Oscars? It’s ironic that a westerner had to come in and tell such a wonderful Indian story about one of the greatest Indians! We will do well for ourselves as a country if we stop mocking others for their success and do an introspection of why we are not there and learn from other’s success!
(c) I am hoping to see Mr. Bachchan write on his blog some day on the plagiarism happening in Bombay film industry. Recently while driving back home here in LA, I was listening to news on NPR and there was a story on plagiarism in Indian cinema. Rajeev Masand of CNN IBN was on it commenting for the story - he said that 75% of movies made in India are a copy of some western movie or the other - mostly Hollywood. Mr. Bachchan seems to have a big issue with the use of word Bollywood but has not yet commented on this huge issue with the industry. The point is the we should be realistic and not get carried away by our patriotism and nationalistic views. We do have problems and unless we acknowledge our own problems, we cannot grow as a society. And for God’s sake let’s stop mocking the west - we want to be as successful as they are and so we have a lot to learn from them.
Don’t get me wrong guys - I am a HUGE fan of Mr. Bachchan and will continue to be!! Watch each and every of his movies and will do so as long as he gives us the priviledge of watching his work. I just have some differences with him on some of the things that he says on his blog. I also have a serious disagreement with his reasoning on why he wouldn’t give an interview to the media after Mumbai blast - but I will save that for a later day.
Long deviation from the topic - three cheers and an Anil Kapoor Jhakaaaaaaaaaaaas for Slumdog Millionaire!! The movie has got many nominations at BAFTA and hopefully will many Oscars as well! For some more comments of mine on the movie - visit my blog at http://www.kochgaway.com.
January 16th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Good analysis Nandan,
I feel that few people in the Blog World have gone wrong in saying that the movie delineate India but infact its not the poverty or quality of life which it tries to show but something much more than that. It tries to show that everything in life is possible its only that you need to thrive hard for it. One needs to put all his heart and soul in achieving his dreams. Its never bad to dream as unless you dream you would not achieve it. I feel “Success is not the destination, its the journey”.
Moreover this blog shows Nandan that inside a successful Entrepreneur like you there lives a fun loving Indian who likes to watch movies and then even spend time analyzing it so beautifully as you have done it here
January 17th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I just think its good that india has bollywood to escape the realities of slumdog millionaire
January 18th, 2009 at 9:09 am
[...] Imagining India » Blog Archive » For a million Slumdog Millionaires [...]
January 27th, 2009 at 1:21 am
You quote - “The movie is at its heart, about aspiration, and about dreams coming true”. The rest of your blog also revolves around the the same idea - about making it big. I am not too sure if that was the message that was conveyed (or intended to convey) in the movie, as I do not recollect a single scene from the movie where Jamal wants to make it big. While “rags to riches” may be the effect that is created out of the movie, to me, somehow, the movie has a deeper meaning - in depicting the true Indian scene for one, and how the inner and deeper personality of a person matters regardless of his or her background.
On the first point, I believe Slumdog has painted the true, unadulterated and real picture of India - something that we want to ignore in our day-to-day life. The slums, the begging schools and the methods they adapt and everything else is the so very well portrayed. No wonder some say the India has been cast in bad light. However, just saying that doesn’t solve the real issues with poverty India has.
On the second point related to personality - I say this because Jamal and his brother underwent the same kind of circumstances in their upbringing. However, one choose to take a gun and become a “goonda”, while Jamal went the correct way and worked at the call center as a tea delivery guy. No one was there to stop Jamal to hit the same road as his brother and go in the wrong direction, but he choose the right path on his own. The fact that Jamal is also a sharp boy is evident in the way he cracked the timing of the call to be placed to get an entry into the show. At a later part of the movie, Jamal mentions that he went to the show so that Latika could see him (not because he wanted to win 20m Rupees).
I think the takeaway from Slumdog is really that background of the person is really no matter for choosing the righteous path in life. Also that life teaches us a lot on its own, provided we are ready to garner the teachings and adapt them in our lives. The fact that a slumdog became a millionaire aided by some luck (on the last question) was just a consequence, not the main theme.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:59 am
[...] Nandan Nilekani, co-founder and head of Infosys, India’s largest IT services company has an very ineresting post where he talks about how films in India are the “zeitgeist” of the generation. Nilekani draws a comparison between Indian movies of the 1970s and Slumdog Millionaire and notes the differenence in the world views of the these two generations. He writes: [...]
January 27th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Dear Nandan,
Thanks for sharing this review. I especially like your summary: “This story however, is still incomplete. What we have to do now is ensure that the opportunities in the Indian economy match the aspirations of the people - that this young, entrepreneurial generation get the chances they need.” Amen to the thought!
February 2nd, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Dear Mr.Nandan,
I think you speak for many aspirants in India, however I don´t agree with your assessment of the movie. I agree with one of the posts by Shreya, the movie was not about hitting it big but more about ones dreams and playing the cards you are dealt. I think once every Indian starts looking inside themselves and try to change their own attitudes the aspiration are realizable.
I can even go to the extent of saying “I am a slumdog” there is nothing wrong in that. I don´t care where I come from what matters is where I am going. Principles and Values drive me, for some reason we in India seem to ignore those and latch onto all the noise around us. Who cares what the West things of us. We have a lot of cleaning to do here and lets get to work.
thanks for the post I enjoyed your analysis although I don´t agree with you in all aspects. keep writing! good work.
Jai Ho!
Bala
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Chord strikers in the film are 1. The alliance with the Three Musketeers. No doubt Alexandre Dumas would have been proud to seek how far reaching and timeless his work has been. 2) The fact that Jamal Malik’s winning of the game show ‘was written’. Not all can be achieved by quiet resignation, determination and resilience. One also has to be lucky. Jamal Malik was but all those around him were not.
February 17th, 2009 at 8:22 am
First they plunder us and then they film our ruins….
Hats off to British ingenuity…..
What is with Indians and Dogs, looks like British cant complete their phrases without mentioning Indians along with Dogs. Some of the best reviews of this movie can be read at
http://satyameva-jayate.org/2009/01/22/on-slumdog-millionnaire-prejudices-guest-post-by-saurav-basu/
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:06 pm
HAYAT HO KI AZAL, SABSE KAAM LE GAAFIL
KE MUQTSAR BHI HAI KAAR-E-JAHAN AUR DARAAJ BHI
whether it is nectar(hayat) or poison (azal) - take help from everything ( o man!)
B’coz woldly matters (kaar-e-jahan) involve issues which are of close proximity (muqtsar) as well as from far away (daraaj)
I can’t believe Danny Boyle ever read Firaq Gorakhpuri but there happens to be a great connection between the essential message of SDM and above ’sher’
Here is a charater Jamaal Mallik who gets all poison (countless adversities a boy in mumbai slum faces) and some nectar (love for Latika). And finally what a brilliant message comes out of a gripping storyline - it is not the circumstances that make difference but the handling of it.
3 cheers to the whole crew of SDM
February 24th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Film is not “celebration of creativity”…..it is just any other movie made with goody-goody feel on human relationship and Love prevails non-sense. It is just that it is made by a westerner and distributed by “Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures”…hence it made a global opening….
India is portrayed as a pathetic slum which west wanted to see as they do not want to tarnish the image which they comply with.
Rest stupidity of congress to take the credit is cheap and they should try to do something for country rather than taking a bath in the glory of some movie.
February 28th, 2009 at 1:48 am
Hello Sir,
I am myself IT Professional and more to be movie freak.I watched film closely and i really appericiate positiveness shown in concept as well as shown no greed to go after money. But i also want to make point that i seen such remarkable movie like taare zammen per, black (One of finest movie i see to date) why not won an oscar though concept and theme of flim seems to be very sound. so it force to make anyone’s mind about director country.
March 24th, 2009 at 1:29 am
I just started reading Nandan Nelekhani’s book. I just want to add, over time UK saw huge chunks of their population migrating out for better prospects to USA, Australia, Canada, Africa & so on. If we add back those (decendents) who are now living outside UK, the pop density at a very min would be around 1500 people/sq- mile in UK. Likewise if we add up current population of India & include those are living outside, it is around 890/square mile. We can imagine how UK would have looked with that kind of a population had they not migrated out. It is easy now for someone from UK or USA to comment on India’s population issue.
June 25th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Congratulations SIr on becoming incharge of teh Uniqie ID Card project.. looking forward to you work wonders to people’slife like you have to Infosys shareholders life.
June 30th, 2009 at 9:22 am
“Congratulation” for your appontment as incharge of UIN Card project.
The project will help us to solve various problems in our system and which will hepl us to reduce our huge expenditure on security as well.
Looking forward for your graet and important role for our nation.
Best Luck.
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:32 am
Dear Nandan Sir,
You inspire me endlessly and I love the line - “…it doesn’t matter where you come from, only where you are headed.”
Its so true and very inspiring indeed.
Someday, like you, I too want to be famous, earn lots of money and above all work not just for India but Pakistan, Afghanistan and Africa..in fact the whole world.
When your announcement came through the mail, it reminded me of a scene from the movie - ‘Asoka’ where the young Ashok , unaware of his future asks a Buddhist monk about it and the monk very calmly says that his life was that of a traveler who reaches his destination. I don’t know If I make sense or not but you finally working directly for the government of India reminded me of this piece.
All the very best.
May god bless you.
Regards,
Kshitij Choudhary
p.s. One simple request to you, could you please ensure that before you finished the project, you inducted at least 5 honorable and dignified persons into the government and asked them to carry it forward. It would help clean the scum at the very top and provide my generation with a new set of leaders who inspire.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
hi Nandan here is guy working in banking software(Zenith infotech ltd.) around very very rural area and having credit of huge number online of branches (uco,alb,coop ,gramin bank) wants to join prestigious uid projects if wants.I have strong believe in this project before many years and this can help india for a better tommorow.