Sunday, February 1, 2009

Slumdog Millionaire from an Indian perspective

The online grassroots journal HimVani takes a close look at Slumdog Millionaire and finds much that is good, especially that the film brings poverty out in the open in spite of the opposition of the Indian elite. (Sound familiar?) The journal finds one essential flaw, however. Hint; it's the same flaw that U.S. anti-poverty activists found with The Pursuit of Happyness.


HimVani is an online grassroots journalism initiative with a mandate to give voice to concerned citizenry within the state and its diaspora on social and developmental issues concerning Himachal Pradesh. HimVani is a not-for-profit effort having its roots in the passion and love we feel for the state; not a mere thanksgiving but also a gesture to give back something to the state. It was initiated as a Voice of Himachal (VOH) initiative to generate public awareness and responsiveness towards development in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately I have no idea what your "hint" refers to. However, after having spent considerable time with MLK (he was only 6 yrs. older than I)in the south in a planned action by intelligent people, I'm always worried about "activists" as irrational people like PETA whose goals and activities do more harm by losing the support of the people that look for intelligent solutions to problems.

Unknown said...

The problem with Pursuit of Happyness is that it posits that any homeless person can become a success. It makes problems and solutions individual rather than societal, and implies that if a homeless person can't "make it," they're not trying.

Anonymous said...

http://www.indiasoulcurry.com/2009/02/slumdog-millionaire-indian-perspective.html gives a very good idea of the Indian Perpective to Slumdog Millionaire.

Do read it and all the comments too.