Slumdog Millionaire Review

Slumdog Millionaire - Jai Ho !!!

What a film!!! Observe....this not a question! But, an exclamation! Really a very good movie. The story is simple, which is "how a boy gets from rags to riches"! ... that's it!!!

But then what is so great about the movie??? ... i am coming to the point, the best thing is ...PLEASE ALLOW ME TO USE IMPROPER ENGLISH... the BESTEST thing which makes this movie great is it's presentation.

As i said, the story is simple. But how do you narrate to an audience and make it stick to the plot? That is the magic Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandon have created.

The plot revolves around a popular quiz game show :- "Kaun banega Crorepati?" or "Who wants to be a millionaire?" A very simple guy, a tea vendor or chai wallah gets a chance to play the quiz game. No one expects, that a simple tea vendor who has spent his childhood in slums could answer questions in the quiz game show. But surprisingly, he answers every question correctly. The owner of the show, who is also the host -- our own ANIL KAPOOR, is skeptical about the boy's knowledge. "How on earth can a CHAI WALLAH answer all the questions so correctly?" Fortunately before ANIL KAPOOR can ask last question, the show'runs out of time. ANIL decides to investigate, if the boy is cheating. The same night, without a clue to the boy, ANIL hands him over to the police.

Police now interrogates him. They beat him, slap him, electrocute him, trying to get the truth as to "HOW HE MANAGED TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS CORRECTLY?" IRFAN KHAN, has played the role of inspector who is handling the investigation case. He then, goes over all the questions one by one, with the boy, and asks him, how he arrived at all the answers so correctly. The boy truthfully says, that EVERY QUESTION ON THE SHOW WAS RELATED TO MY LIFE. EVERY INCIDENT THAT HAS HAPPENED LIKE, THE MUMBAI RIOTS, GANGWARS, AMITABH BACCHAN SOARING THE STARDOM IN BOLLYWOOD etc., all were related to the answers of the questions. ... And this way, the story of a boy from slum getting close to a millionaire is narrated. While answering every question, he goes in flashback, recollect those incidents that are related to the questions and arrives at answers which turns out to be right answers.

Inspector realizes, the CHAI WALLAH is not faking or bluffing, and releases him. The same night the boy attends the quiz game show, to give an answer to the LAST AND MOST IMPORTANT question, that will help him become MILLIONAIRE.

Thats it! A VERY SIMPLE and AWESOME movie, you will love to watch. I will like to note down good things about this movie : -

GOOD THINGS
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1) AWESOME SCREENPLAY
2) FANTABOLOUS ART DIRECTION ... by ABHISHEK REDKAR
3) FANTASTIC MUSIC SCORE ... by A R REHMAN
4) SUPERB ACTING ... by Ayush Mahesh Khedekar( The youngest JAMAL )... he is BESTEST actor in the entire movie......MILLION times better than ANIL KAPOOR
5) COOL DIALGOUES

BAD THINGS
-----------------------------------------
..huh....what ?? ....no NOTHING ....NILL !!!!


But there are some mistakes in the movie: -

1) TV Shows are never LIVE shows. They are rehearsed, edited and shown to viewers. That means, "who wants to be a millionaire" show before telecasting must have been edited and shown to users. But in the movie, as the plot evolves you will realize, that the show is telecasted as if it is LIVE. That is the biggest mistake

2) In one of the scenes, its shown, some foreigners shelling out 500 rupee note, which looks like a current 500 rupee note, ... but i am sure, for that incident - that he recollects as he goes back into flashback, actually happens in around 90s when he is almost 10-12 years old. And at that time, according to me visually the then 500 Rupee note was different from current 500 rupee note.

3) Star cast is awesome. Everyone has given their cent percent to the character. And this makes the movie as the best movie. But when you can cherry pick the best INDIAN stars, why go for a BRITISH star who plays the role of lead JAMAL ??? I mean, there is no problem, with his acting, But his british ENGLISH accent is different from other's INDIAN english accent in the entire movie. IMAGINE an INDIAN slum grown kid speaking in fluent BRITISH english in the entire movie. ... i think that is a major point, Danny .... which might not appeal to the audience

4) MEDIA in India has always been news hungry, and they can make BREAKING NEWS out of anything, whether it is a baby fallen in a MANHOLE, or DOG shitting by newly state of art FOOTPATH....literally ANYTHING!!! ... But, in the last part of the movie, when, JAMAL arrives from POLICE STATION to the STUDIO in POLICE VAN, how come the MEDIA is not interested in knowing what was JAMAL - THE MOST IMPORTANT CONTESTANT was doing in POLICE STATION ???

5) Also, in one part, during a break in the show, ANIL KAPOOR , deliberatly gives a WRONG answer to JAMAL, ... but JAMAL, selects some other answer ... and JAMAL's answer turns out correct. Why did JAMAL remain silent, after knowing the fact, that ANIL tried to cheat him?

... but these points are overshadowed, when you watch, the movie, you do not tend to look at these minute details. You get totally engrossed in the movie

I would rate this movie 4.5 / 5
WORTH EVERY PENNY WATCHING this movie

MARATHI CONTRIBUTION TO THE MOVIE:-
-----------------------------------------------------
... a very important point, the major reason for the success of this movie is contribution of Maharashtrians to the movie.

Ayush Mahesh Khedekar - The youngest JAMAL,

Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar - Middle LATIKA ... at this age she is a perfect example of the PERFECT INDIAN BEAUTY, ..she is beautiful .... and that too even after having a dusky complexion, she looks beautiful .... she reminds me of my first crush!!! .... u r gr8 TANVI !!!

Mahesh Manjrekar - the notorious gangster JAVED

Siddesh Patil - Arvind - the BLIND beggar who is best at singing

Sagar ghopalkar - Javed's Goon

Alka Satpute - women at Brothel

... are all marathis.

and the most important of all the ART DIRECTOR ...responsible, for creation of real life looking sets and props ... ABHISHEK REDKAR!!!!

I am proud of all these people. I don't want to make a regional issue. But this is a fact!!! When it comes to a character, which is based on real life, it can be best played by only a MARATHI ACTOR....i mean for the roles like:-
Beggar, Drunkard, Hawaldar, Constable, Encounter specialist, Banker, toddler, orphans, a Banker, a school teacher, an sick old man or woman, rickshaw wala, postman, a notorious gangster etc.,


A marathi actor or actress CAN NEVER be cast into a GLAMOROUS and RICH role like the ones played by Sharukh, or Aamir, or Abhishek etc., A marathi actor ... visually himself will never fit for such roles in typical MASALA and COMMERCIAL movies. Also, marathi actresses are not so Beautiful like Anjana sukhani, amrita, amisha, or like sexy Shilpa. These are the reasons why a marathi actor's acting of however small character in the movie it might be ....stands out from the rest and is cent percent BESTEST!!!!

Other actors who are NON- MARATHI are also equally good...my fav being Irfan Khan!!!

...DO WATCH THIS MOVIE!!! .... you WILL like it!!!

What is the message of the movie ?
Times of India has quoted the message from the movie as "Love conquers all" - I will say ...that is incorrect!!!
The message from the movie is "everyone is destined to do and have specific things in life"

Following things as per the movie plot prove it: -
-- Jamal, by luck or destiny was asked questions related to his life...and hence he could answer
-- That also means, he was destined to win the game and the prize money
-- Jamal, was lucky or destined to escape from the slumlords torture to the slum kids...else he would have been a handicapped by now
-- Jamal was lucky that his elder brother carried, a pistol with him, when they visited the brothel
-- Jamal was destined to get her love of life .... LATIKA...however late that might be !!!
-- When Jamal and his brother jump of the train, they were destined and lucky that they did not die!!!
..and there are many more, but i will leave this to you guys to find out the rest when you watch the movie.... PLEASE DO WATCH IT ....and DO ENJOY it!!!

That is the only way how, it will APPRECIATE, the INDIAN work!!!


...ONE LAST THING !!!
P.S. Its said Amitabh Bacchan has criticized the film for potraying the dark and ugly face of India. But hey, ALL FILMS are subject to criticism, although his point is baseless i mean... when INDIA does have this, face also, why shouldn't the world know about it??? Also, FILMS are made to entertain people and give some message. This film has done its job 100% perfectly!!! ... so Sir, i think the reason for your baseless comments is that you are aging and that you need some rest! ... And if you think, its NOT CORRECT to potray INDIA this way...then what were you doing all this time? Why didn't you come up with a movie, that will potray INDIA in a NICER WAY ? You must be busy MINTING money out of bogus MASALA movies, that you have acted in!!!
I would advise Mr. Bacchan, to stop acting in films and start encouraging financially ...young Indian generation to come up with films like SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE...may be on foreign soil!

Mr. Bacchan, there is NO DEARTH OF TALENT in INDIA! You are one example of it! :)

ONE MORE THING... please access my profile on www.zedge.net and download and vote all the ringtones from this spectacular movie "SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE"
... my name is "raulgomez" on www.zedge.net

Jodha Akhbar Review

Jodha Akbar (2008)

This movie was released on 15th Feb 2008, just a day after a valentine's day. Firstly, what we can expect from a period film, is the action...that is war, in other words energy. But even the war scenes in the movie didn't give me that energy. But after watching the movie, i realized, that, its not about war, but just about Jodha and Akbar, and their love story, which for some reasons, still unknown, history could not mark it. (may be i had not seen the trailers properly ! :) ) And this is exactly, the last note of Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, who, tells us the story in his mind blowing voice, in the movie, just as he had done in the movie Laggan. Ashutosh Gowariker has tried his best i must say, to mark this love story and reveal it to people, which "history could not do it!" (... i think this is also what he did for laggan, story of a village, which fights back against the british empire's tyrannical rule, by playing cricket! ... he he he ! ...but this doesn't mean that their was no love between, Jodha and Akhbar, may be its like,...the big wigs as always, want to keep their love life away from public attention, whether its a king, or a present day polictian, a sportsman, an actor ....etc.,)

Observations:- (... i can't help it... i try my best to be not technical as far as possible, but being a technical person, i like to use such words like "Observations" ... :) ... therefore apologies !)
1) Sets, .... marvellous sets.
2) Costumes and jewellery. Believe me, but the characters in the movie, actually look like the roles they play, majorily because, of the costumes and the jwellery they have used in the movie. For example, we have seen the Mughal paintings in our history books ... the characters look very much like that, especially Aishwarya Rai's costume, the colours, the necklace etc., Ashutosh and his crew, has really made very nice effort, on this aspect, of the film.
3) Sir Amitabh Bachchan's voice, as he tells us the parts of the story that cannot be actually picturized or it was quiet logical to dictate the story rather than portray it.
4) Characters other than, Jodha and Akhbar, are really good ! ... i mean ... i think they are just fit for the role, whether the role is of "Sujamal Singh" or the "Maula" who goes against the "Jahan-panah".
5) Illa-Arun, has given justice to her role. Hats off to her!
6) Moderate use of Urdu, and pure hindi, in this movie, actually made me, as an audience, a bit comfortable to watch this film. Before watching this film, i thought, urdu will be extensively used and will go bouncer for me. But thanks to the dialouge writer ! :)
7) Hrthik Roshan, has acted very well, ... but ONLY compared to Jodha that is Aishwarya Rai. I actually don't think he is fit for this role. Firstly, his voice, ... i donno but, as an audience, i am expecting a heavy, CONFIDENT voice from an Emperor...especially when he has ruled the entire nation. Action scenes not so nicely picturised involving Hrithik. For example, when you watch movies like Gladiator, 300, Troy, ... the viewer wants to actually stick back to his/her sit and go through all the action. They don't want to miss it. But here in the movie, i yawn over the action scenes. I will say, he has tried his best and made a honest attempt as far as possible, to give justice to his role.
8) Aishwarya Rai ... only good thing about her contribution to the movie is ... her BEAUTY ! thats it ! ... long back i have stopped expecting, any acting from her. Only acting that she can perform is raise her eyebrows, smile, or cry ! (...and that too very predictable!). In some scenes, she looks pail, loosing brightness on her face. I donno if that was a part of the cinematography or what .....but, it just didn't appeal to me as an audience.
9) Songs are excellent. A.R. Rehman has given his 100% to music. But i must make a point here, in some scenes in the background the, music played is bit primitive, especially in scenes like for e.g. when akbar sees jodha meeting sujamal singh secretly at night outside the fort. the music is like some horn blowing wildly...very primitive !
10) Before the movie starts, the film expresses its gratitude, to many people...notable amongst them is Mr. Shatruanha Sinha ... now look at the comedy, in the entire movie, he does not make his appearance at all ! Then why thank him ? .... it was only after watching the entire movie, i realized that, the word "Khamosh" (... proprietary dialouge of our Billu Badshah) used in the movie. lolz ! ... :) ... or may be he is thanked for not acting in the film! .....ha ha ha ! ...just kidding!
11) In other words, the movie is a typical Hindi Bollywood movie, with its story wrapped around the Mughal Period. I say this, because, as the story proceeds, me as an audience can predict what will happen next! For example, Akbar takes a procession inAgra Bazzaar, to celebrate his popularity and love for his masses. Taking this opportunity, an archer from the villan's side take his aim to assasin Akbar. He is hit by an arrow ... ONE ARROW ! thats it !!! ... ONE ARROW and that too on his chest near the shoulder. He falls sick, the fakirs and royal doctors try their best to save him. Queen Jodha, is also worried ... at least this is what she TRIES to act; act like a typical bollywood heroine who crys when her hero gets shot by villan. When she sees, that the efforts of the royal doctors, are not helping much, she seeks help of the God ... yes ....very predictable and typical too ! She rushes to the small temple in her room, and prays in front of lord Krishna, to save her husband. ... and Lo ! Her husband is saved ! ... what a miracle ! ... in such situations i imagine the royal doctors murmuring and giving bad words , " What the F@#k! kya Faltu giri hai ....aggar upar wala sab kuch kar sakta hai ! ...to hum log kya HAJAM hai kya idhar ?....Chayla !". And lastly, in the end, Sujamal who initially wanted a war against Akbar, gets back to his senses, and wants to help Akbar, but he is shot in the back several times, with arrows.... NOT ONE ARROW....but MANY ARROWS ! however, he manages to reach up to the akbar and inform him about the plot planned against him. He also gets time to talk to jodha, his sister when in fact he was hit by MORE THAN ONE ARROW ! Now that makes him more brave than Akbar, and yet i never heard of him...not even in my history text book, until i saw this movie. Don't you think all such scenes make this a TYPICAL BOLLYWOOD hindi movie ?


To summarize, i was expecting a lot from this film at least in terms of energy. I was waiting for this energy to come out. But i was left waiting even after the end of the movie. For example, let us compare the movies like Gladiator, Troy, 300 ....these are period films too. These films explore the parts in history that many people don't know! For instance, how many of you knew, about General Maximus or King Leonidas ? I was not knowing, about them, until i saw these movies. However, i wanted to watch these entire movies right till the end, may be because of the energy, the star cast, the screen play, music, action, effects, etc., Similarly, how many of us knew the real love saga between Jodha and Akbar. The movie could have been made interesting, but it was like power point slide show, telling the audience, ok .... first this thing happened, then this and later this etc., All i enjoyed was the sets, costume, music .... and "KHAMOSH!" ...he he he !

I would rate the movie 2.5 / 5. ... and out of 2.5 ....1.5 goes just to the music and the production. If you are a fan of the Huge sets, beauty, and there is more of aesthetic sense and less of logical sense then this is a must watch ....but if you are serious movie fan looking for some serious interesting story told by serious acting then .... forget it! You won't get that in this movie. May be we will have to wait for Ashutosh's next movie. I say this because, he is good director, producer and actor too...after seeing his previous movies . Out of all the movies Ashutosh has made i would rate Swades at the top, then Laggan and then ... Jodha Akbar !


Please post your opinion about the movies too lastly with your rating for the movie.

About This blog

Hello friends,
So what is this blog about ? ... Its about your views and opinions on the movie that you have seen recently. Consider, this blog as your paper to voice your opinion on, whats good or bad in a particular film. To make this blog, readable, we will post over reviews film by film. It means, we will take one particular film as one post and give our criticism on the film in that post, ... and once we are done with that, we will take the next film, as the next post and put our comments. So one film, per post. In this way, readers get to know all that, they want to know about, a particular film in just ONE SINGLE post.

We will start with the first movie :- Jodha Akhbar.