How absurd that Jamil, main character of Slumdog Millionaire, gets back to his life-experience to find out the answer everytime his host asks him a question in the biggest gamble TV show! And he gets it right too.
The depiction of Indian underbelly that emerges in the process is not exaggerated or unnatural, though not wholesome. The champions of 'India shining' brigade may have problem in accepting them, but it's unfair to say that the director Danny Boyle had any ulterior motive in showcasing this reality.
What I liked about the film is the director's taste, and sense of restraint. He could have made some scenes sleazier or sensual, but he didn't.
The film centres around a fantasy, and it's not easy to build up a believable plot on it. It's mainly for this lapse that the film suffers. And it's entirely an entertainment film.
But the lobotomized audience will love it. The top dog Warner Brothers of course had its hunch right. Slumdog, its first Indian venture, is quite OK for it.
