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| (Bihar Times): It is sad to see a bunch of Biharis making a nuisance of themselves by hooliganism and silly demonstration against such a beautiful film which has taken the world by storm. It is an incredible film of love, aspiration, cruelty, luck and celebration of everything that is human nature. It has put India in news - all good. It will lead to mor tourist coming to the country and bring money and create jobs in travel industry.
Those who object to its name "Slumdog" fail to see the real meaning of this English word. It is for those "who are at the bottom of the heap". By breaking the word into two and translating it in Hindi is wrong. It fails to convey its meaning. People in India has no tolerence, they demand to ban book, film or anything that they don't like. In doing so, they take the law into their own hands. They forget that Indian constitution give freedom of speech to every citizen. Fair enough, if one doesn't like Salman Rushdie's "Stanic Verses", don't buy and read. But they have no right to prevent others who would like to buy and read. They have no right to vandalise book shop that sells the book. They have no right to vandalise cinema hall that is screening "Slumdog Millionire". To express their dissent, they could write in papers, speak on TV, Write
to film producer. This is what happens in democracy. They want name "Slumdog" changed. That is simply not possible. Not by British, no way. So, what is the way out from this stalemet ? One solution is, objectors can paint "Dog" on the posters, so it would look someting like "SlumXXX Millionire". Bihartoo get its fifteen minutes of international fame. Last time was when Shilpa Setty experienced abuse by Jade Goody in Celebrity Big Brother programme. The only place where effigy of Chanel 4 was burnt in India, was Patna. To burn an effigy os a television chanel is only possible in Bihar. No wonder, we Bihari are butt of jokes and looked down in India.
To those who are using their energy in such stupid act, I would say, please clean your slum, send your children to schools and colleges so they can get out of the slum you are so ashamed about. Ask your government to build low cost houses for you to rent. And desist from making fool of yourselves.
Dr. A. Kumar
Norfolk, England
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The author Dr A Kumar, appears to be myopic, he has seen on the one side of the coin, agitation in Bihar against this film is very natural as the Biharis are true patriotic Indians ,the British director and Indian novelist are not only amazing but have brought the truth to the forefront, which the myopic eyes of the writer Dr A Kumar can not see or deliberately ignoring the facts.
The story revolves around an 18 year-old Muslim orphan from the slums of Mumbai who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, the boy tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika, the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show's questions. Each chapter of boy’s increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show's
Muslims in India, , are downtrodden and suffer the most among its minorities. Their squalid state was exposed through a national survey. The Sachar committee report.
The Sachar report reveals the appalling state of Muslims in India in the socio-economic and educational fields and concluding that their status is worse-off than the Dalits and the Adivasis (tribals). In urban areas, the report shows that Muslims mostly live in slums characterized by poor municipal infrastructure. The film is showing the truth Dr KUMAR. That is why the name of the main character in the film is a Muslim
Muslim and Bihari Indian movie stars and matinee idols are being targeted by the hate campaign. If ever there was a bigoted society, it is in India. On one hand, it boasts of secularism and being one of the biggest democracies in the world, on the other it is most intolerant of Muslims, Christians and other minorities. Top actors like Shabana Azmi have complained that despite entertaining Indian masses through their hard work in Indian cinema, they are not permitted to even purchase a house or property in Mumbai because of their religion.
“Slumdog Millionaire” exposes only the tip of the iceberg. India's veneer of religious integration is but a farce as the storming of Sikh’s holiest shrine: Amritsar’s Golden Temple, massacre of Sikhs following Indira Gandhi’s assassination, razing of Babri Masjid, the organized ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Gujarat are all examples of Indian chauvinism. EVEN THE WEAPON USED BY LORD RAMA, was asked by ANIL Kapoor, IS it the real INDIA DR Kumar?
The prejudice is evident from its extremist Hindutva groups Sangh Parivar comprising Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Akhila Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Bajrang Dal and the newly revived Abhinav Bharat. The article reflects the vision of the author,
This film, Slumdog Millionaire, is a microscopic dissection of Indian through the eyes of foreigners, the British, and the so called an enlightened Indian writer, . Should we be proud of the film , or be ashamed of it, Dr Kumar’s ………..conscience. The film is a shame for true patriotic Indians.
Dr A. Ahsan
Dammam, KSA
Email aa_drpedsurg@yahoo.com
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Dr. Saheb, you have missed the forest on account of some trees ! The film Slumdog millionnaire is a cruel joke on India's poverty which is so hugely exagerated just to attract the ever eager foriegn audience who want such stuffs to belittle India's achievements.
The true meaning of this word is well explained in the film itself. For example, in one of the scenes, the notorious slumlord who blinds children and converts them into beggars, prostitutes and criminals; calls Jamal (the child Hero of this film) as 'dog from the slum'. In another scence, police inspector (Irfaan) calls Jamal as the dog from slum who barks. Infact, the whole film is about the slum-dog (Jamal) who becomes millionnaire by winning the gameshow 'who wants to be a millionnaire'.
Please tell me Doctor, what is the reality of India ? Is it only that India (Mumbai, as shown in the film) is a huge slum dotted with some skyscrapers where slum children eat and sleep with dogs on the garbage heaps; where children are blinded by pouring boiling oil into their eyes and made into beggars, small girls turned into prostitutes, boys converted into notorious criminals, kidnappers and murderers ? Where children dip into human excreta to take the autograph of Amitabh Bachchan ? In one of the scences, a slum child is hit on his eyes by marauders, and he says 'it is real India', wherein one white lady is shown sympathising with the child and gives him a 100 rupees note and tells 'son, this is America'. Meaning is loud and clear: India - a beggar and America - a benevolent donor ! Afterall, the film is made by a British Direcor for a big Hollywood film maker - the 'Warner Brothers' !
Further, down the lane we find in one of the scenes, in the guise of asking a question in the gameshow (Anil Kapoor to Jamal)about the type of weapon used by Lord Ram, Hindus have been depicted as demons and criminal rioteers who mercilessly kill innocent Muslims by mob violence and atrocities. Tell me Sir, is this the reality of India ?
Please don't accuse Biharis for anything and every thing bad that is happening in this country or State. You are probably a Bihari. May we know - what you have done for the betterment of this State and country ?
Dr. R.P. RAMAN
Sr. Scientist
e-mail: rpraman1@gmail.com
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I definitely agree with the author on both the counts: (1) the meaning of the word 'Slumdog', and (2) rightful utilization of Bihari youth and energy. Slumdog does not appear in any dictionary. Be it Oxford dictionary or Merriam-Webster dictionary, there is no entry for Slumdog. Not even wiktionary has this word. Therefore it is open to interpretation. To the best of my knowledge, 'slumdog' is not part of Vikas Swarup's novel Q and A. It seems to be a newly coined word like infotainment. Those who are against it are interpreting it as dog from the slum area, but I am more inclided to accept it as an underdog from slums. Slum + underdog = Slumdog!!! One can find the word underdog in any dictionary: One that is at a disadvantage or One that is expected to lose a contest or struggle, as in sports or politics. Given the meaning of underdog in any dictionary available in print or on internet, it is not at all difficult to fathom how it is most appropriately applicable to the protagonist of the film hailing for the Dharavi slum. I expect public to be rational before shooting the gun. It is absolutely wrong to interpret slumdog as slum plus dog.
Pradeep
pkr5ul@gmail.com |
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