Movie Review: Slumdog Millionaire: Riveting, Gripping Storytelling

The tale...no; just the gist of it…

A young illiterate man who sells tea at a call centre in Mumbai is a participant in the popular TV game show - Who wants to be a millionaire? He is one answer short of winning 2 million rupees, when the police pick him up on charges of cheating.

How did a man who grew up in the slums know the answers? The incredible story of Jamaal is depicted with cynical humour, great assurance and control by director Danny Boyle and co-director Loveleen Tandan.

The tale of cruelty, lust, greed, love, human decay and fate unravels like an exciting jigsaw puzzle in the background of filth and dust-ridden Mumbai. Endearing performances by the cast, a creatively rich and rocking background score by A R Rahman, all add up to make a fantastic movie. 

Cinematic Liberty?

There is no credible explanation as to why Jamaal and Salim speak such good English; can be attributed to the international production.Oscar or no Oscar, Slumdog Millionaire is an unforgettable experience on the 70mm screen.

Dev Patel is Jamaal

Frieda Pinto plays Latika, Jamaal's lost love

"How did you do it?" asks the Police Inspector, played by Irrfan Khan

photos courtesy: http://www.imdb.com/

spotlight on Slumdog Millionaire

The most awaited movie of the year, yet to be released in India - Slumdog Millionaire has already won a lot of awards. Most significantly, AR Rahman won the Golden Globe for best score. Here is the link to the official website.
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/slumdogmillionaire/

Hindi film music: Yuvvraaj: Rahman returns

Anil Kapoor and Salman Khan in a pre-release still from the film

Yuvvraaj
Music by A.R. Rahman
Lyrics by Gulzar

Flashback blah blah blah
Director Subhash Ghai has always had the knack to obtaining exceptional music for his movies. For almost two decades, he worked wonders with Laxmikant-Pyarelal, notably Karz (1980) and Ram Lakhan (1989). In 1997, Nadeem-Shravan deviated from their usual style to create some unique music for Pardes. It was in 1999 that Ghai got AR Rahman to work on a rocking score for Taal.
Rahman then worked with Ghai on Kisna (2005), he couldn’t work on the entire album due to other commitments so Ismail Darbar (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas) composed the other songs of the album.
As the trailers reveal, Yuvvraaj has a Taal-like feel in its visuals, but the music is a clever contrast to Taal's music.


A.R.Rahman


Gulzar

The album
Main hoon yuvvraaj is a dialogue-piece by Salman Khan mixed with Beethoven’s fifth, a prelude to Tu meri dost hain, a melodious song by Benny Dayal, Shreya Ghoshal and AR Rahman. Shano may take time getting used to; its languid pace is something different from other party-based songs. Tu muskura has a soothing calm in its flow, while Mastam mastam expresses a joyous celebration, one of the creative peaks of the album, Sonu Nigam is at his best here.
Zindagi by Srinivas has a ruminating tone to it. Dil Ka Rishta is a brother-bonding kind of song, with innovatively used English lyrics. Manmohini morey is strictly classical song, the one song in the album that may take some patience to listen to.
The Shano remix is a tolerable listen, under three minutes, it is over before you know it, a Rahman album doesn’t require a remix, unless AR himself does the honours. Overall, the album makes for a very satisfying listen.

For an attentive listening experience, shut yourself in a dark room with the music system, close your eyes and press the play button. It works every time.
In the process you identify what you like and don't like listening to, and why...