Monday, February 23, 2009

JOY HO! to SLUMDOG

Yesterday was the most eventful day in the history of Indian cinema. While whole of the KODAK STUDIO at Hollywood was bulgeoning with cinestars from around the globe, the Indian film fraternity watched the whole show with bated breathe. And the results were announced. Three Indians got the Oscars. A.R. Rehman got it for best original background score. Then A.R.Rehman and Gulzar shared another for best original song.Resul Pookutty got it for best sound editing.

Slumdog is a movie which had its story from India. But no Indian movie as yet had gone on to win the Oscars(I mean for best best film or direction).

But many of you would agree from me that Rehman’s other compositions are far better than that of Slumdog’s .As far as getting an Oscar is concerned, it has more to do with ones marketing capability than just pure creativity.

It is very tough to get in the foreign film category.Even if they did, chances would be slim. An Oscar aspirant needs titanic budget to create hype that would force the body of 6000 plus voters to see his film. He must issue ads in American magazines, plan releases, stir up controversies, be in the news until D-night . Rightly, the Indian govt. sends high budget films which has very low creative and artistic content. “Why waste the slot by sending a small fry?” This argument has sidelined films like DHARAM for EKLAVYA..Result? Reportedly voters don’t sit through even one half of our film.

“How can u deny me an opportunity because my pocket isn’t deep!”. Its the same as if a child prodigy is denied right to education only because he is por.

Indian directors, since the beginning have made brilliant movies, some of them being better than the Oscar winners in almost all respect.

See the movies like “Meghe dheka tara” and “Apu’s Trilogy”. These movies have far more creative and aesthetic worth than any Oscar winning film.

As far as Slumdog is concerned, I would like to point to a certain pattern that I have seen. I think foreigners are pleased to see the “poor India”.

From Naipaul to Rusdie to very recently Adiga, all have successfully showcased India’s poverty and misery. Successfull only on personal basis. They were applauded round the world. But aren’t they “stretching it far beyond limit”.

“Oscars don’t necessarily go to the best of films made”, Shekhar Kapoor had said after Elizabeth. But they are celebration of cinema- from all over the world- on a common platform.”Lets then join in and celebrate- an individual, our very own A.R.Rehman( and of course Gulzar saab and Rosul).

PIX COURTSEY- ASSOCIATED PRESS (AP)

1 comment:

joker has a life too said...

about right films not getting nominated,especially in foreign films category,
yeah! they should think about a proper channel and system where any filmmaker can send his film,if deserving,get nominated and all!,irrespective of the countries they come from.
though,it would get very cumbersome to choose, for the academy guys but that might be worth it!

books i read

  • india after gandhi, the maximum city, ninteen eighty-four, a million mutinies now, an argumentative indian, no full stops in india, the world is flat
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