Slumdog Millionaire Coming March 31st
This is not a kid’s movie but it is something I highly recommend for adults, and of course swept the Oscars. A young boy from the slums of Mumbai, India discovers love and fortune by way of his cruel and harsh childhood when Slumdog Millionaire finds its way to DVD March 31st . Winner of four Golden Globe Awards including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director – Danny Boyle, Best Original Score – A. R. Rahman, and Best Screenplay – Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire is “a gaudy, gorgeous rush of color, sound and motion” (Manohla Dargis, New York Times). Loosely based on the fictional novel “Q and A” by Indian writer Vikas Swarup, Slumdog Millionaire tracks the life of Jamal Malik, an impoverished child living in Mumbai’s sprawling slums. After his mother is brutally killed, Jamal (played as a teen by Dev Patel) and his brother Salim (played as a teen by Madhur Mittal) must do whatever necessary to survive. Jamal’s travels are filled with memorable encounters, mostly unpleasant, but along the way he meets another orphan child, Latika (played as a teen by Freida Pinto). When Jamal and Latika become separated, he becomes romantically determined to reunite with Latika… Even if it means appearing on the Indian version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” Jamal begins drawing on his past experiences to answer the 12 questions that will inevitably lead him to vast wealth and lost love. But after lasting longer than anyone ever expected, Jamal is accused of cheating and must prove to the police and the show’s producers how he knows the answers by retelling his arduous childhood in a series of flashbacks.
Providing a glimpse into the harsh existence of homeless children in Mumbai while juxtaposing optimism and love, director Danny Boyle’s (Trainspotting, Millions) “beautifully rendered and energetic tale celebrates resilience, the power of knowledge and the vitality of the human experience” (Claudia Puig, USA Today). Featuring heartfelt performances by a largely Indian cast, Slumdog Millionaire stars Dev Patel (Skins), Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal (Say Salaam India), Irfan Kahn (The Namesake, Haasil) and Anil Kapoor (Taal, Pukar). Boasting a memorable and flawless soundtrack that blends modern and traditional Indian music by acclaimed Indian composer A. R. Rahman (Lagaan: Once Upon A Time In India, Taal), Slumdog Millionaire also features tracks from artist M.I.A. including the Grammy nominated song for Record of the Year “Paper Planes.”
