Posts Tagged ‘Oscars’
A little piece of an Indian market
This picture is from a market in South India, where these Henna-stamps are displayed. Handmade and carved in wood they are real pieces of art, and truly beautiful. Painting the hands with henna is a sign of festivity for Indian women. During weddning most the attending females are decorated with henna on their hands, the bride is wearing the most henna. Rubina Ali, child actress in Slumdog Millionarie, in the picture below, wore henna when she attended the Oscars is a contemporary example how henna decoration markes a festivity or important occation.
Slumdog Millionaire actress Rubina Ali writes memoirs
Posted by Johanna in India, Popular culture on juni 25th, 2009
Rubina Ali, who playes the young Latika in the award-winning Slumdog Millionaire, is 9 years old and born and raised in the slums of Mumbai. She has attained a contract with the brittish pubilisher Transworld, to write her memoirs. the book will feature her upbringing in the slum, how she became selected to act in the Slumdog Millionaire film and how her life loks like now, as a world-known celebrity. It is a fairytale come true for young Rubina. The book will be released in July 2009, according to the Telegraph, and the income from the book sale will be half to Rubina’s family and half to the french charity organization Medecins du Monde.
As I previously stated , I liked Slumdog Millionarie, I especially adored the young actors’ acting skills. I have previously studied an orphanage in Mumbai, where girls from the Slum are taken in, and given food, education, and lodging. The problem, I realised during my study of the orphanage girls, was that among all the things the orpanage gave them, one thing was missing. It was the love and warmth of caring adults. The girls took care of each other, slept close to one another and they shared a special bond, growing up together and sharing their joys and sorrows. I think that that feeling of togetherness is featured in Slumdog millionaire. The films’ focus is not on the misery, but on the joys of life.
In conclusion, I look forward to Rubinas book, and I will write about it once I have read it.
Fingers crossed for Slumdog Millionaire
Posted by Johanna in India, Popular culture on februari 22nd, 2009
Tonight the annual 81st Oscar’s are held.
I am keeping my fingers crossed for the Indian featured film Slumdog Millionaire, a film with a message and a vision. It is nominated in 10 categories and I believe in this film based on the novel by Vikas Swarup. I would be most happy if it got the award for ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’. But as far as I am concerned, the film has already Oscar or not, created a great buzz and opened up for a debate in India as well as outside India.
In the slums in Bombay and in slums all over the world for that matter, children are being mistreated, deprived of their rights to education and health and used in the criminal world as the Slumdog Millinaire shows. Not only the children, the families living in these areas deserve better standards. And nothing is impossible. The human hearts out there can make a difference. There are several slum projects to support for example:
Actor Anil Kapoor donated his ‘Slumdog Millinaire’ salary to Plan International India’s project which effects the slum dwellers aka slumdogs, an all India birth registration campaign. More actions like this are to follow since the debate on these problems have gotten into the bright lights of the Oscars.
Fingers crossed for Slumdog Millionaire!
Slumdog Millionaire – The best India featured film ever?
Posted by Johanna in India, Popular culture on januari 21st, 2009
He came from the slum, not worth more than a stray dog- they call him a slumdog. But this slumdog gets to be on the television show “Who wants to be a millionaire”. And he wins it all. The coincides that this boy, who has struggled for survival in the slums all his life on a remarkable way has learnt about lives most beautiful and most ugly features. the feelings, the corruption, the ugliness, the unveiled truth, the glamorous life, the criminals, the honest, the raw and the beautiful- this films shows all the sides of Mumbai.
Dev Patel, who plays Jamal in the film have the most honest eyes I have ever seen, with a true intensity this British brought up boy, playes the Slumdog who rose to the occasion. He is a hero. He is an idol. But he came from something else, not as glamorous. “Everything is possible in India” the Indians say, but this film is a bit over the top maybe? this film shows many shades of India, many of the less attractive sides, and of course the film is biased in the way that is shows this side of the coin.
But the truth is that Mumbai has the biggest slums in the world and the film shows the reality of millions of Indians that are not normally featured in Indian films. It does include some societal critique which is in place. I like the way film can bring up these topics for discussion, because poverty is a severe societal problem and the children being used in the street life are in desperate need of protection. India needs to take care of her children. And bringing the topic to life with the help of a script like this and a couple of great child actors is a step in the right direction. I believe in the power of popular culture. This film handles real problems in a fictional way, packaged in the format of a popular television show. Genius!
Two big Bollywood actors are also starring in the film; Irrfan Khan as the police inspector, and Anil Kapoor as the game show host for “Who wants to be a millionaire”. This film will achieve Oscars, I am certain. It is a strong script, includes beautiful scenery, it is well composed and nicely filmed, includes great music and it has all the necessary ingredients;
Humour, tragedy, drama, action, love, corruption – its all there.
I am utterly stunned and taken aback after this experience. I adore this film. It is the best India featured film I have ever seen in a long time – maybe ever?
