Directors: Danny Boyle
                Loveleen Tandan 

Cast:    Dev Patel - Jamal Malik

Freida Pinto - Latika

Madhur Mittal -  Salim Malik

Anil Kapoor – Prem Kumar

Irrfan Khan -  Inspector

Slumdog Millionaie is the story of an orphan, Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), from the slums of Mumbai who not only ends up in Indian version of “Who want’s to be a millionaire?” but also is one question away from winning 20 million. How can a slum   from streets of Mumbai, who is offering chai (tea) at a cell phone company, know the answer to all the questions in the game show? This makes the host, Anil Kapoor, suspicious that the boy is cheating and hands Jamal to Mumbai Police.  The interrogation in the police station reveals the episodes in Jamal’s life and the events where he picks answers to the questions.

In order to prove his innocence, Jamal narrates the story of his life. At young age, Jamal loses his parents in communal riots, grows up with his brother Salim (Madhur Mittal) and finds the love of his life, Latika (Frieda Pinto).  The three fall in the hands of a cruel entrepreneur who picks orphans from street and turns them into street beggars under the disguise of an orphanage. The overseer blinds some of the kids to make them more pitiable in order to generate more alms. Salim and Jamal escape the orphanage while Latika is left behind.

The two make their living by first selling stuff on train and eventually land in Agra. They con western tourists as unauthorized   guides to Taj Mahal and make their living. Jamal’s quest to find lost love brings the brothers back to Mumbai and leads them in two different paths. Salim joins the underworld and rises higher in the ranks. Jamal becomes a chai wallah (tea deliverer). Jamal learns that Latika is now a mistress of underworld don and she fears to run off from the master.   The quest for Latika lands Jamal on the game show: “Who wants to be millionaire?” Will Jamal and Latika unite and will Jamal answer the final question to win 20 million?

Danny Boyle does an excellent job directing the movie based on the novel Q & A by author Vikas Swarup.  Danny Boyle, who is a high-profile filmmaker, of  "Trainspotting”, "28 Days Later" fame, makes the Slumdog Millionaire  energetic and gripping.

As someone who is from India and has sentiments attached towards the country’s prosperity, it was disturbing to watch the exploitation that goes on in this day. The scenes of poverty and abuse of orphan children in the slums, communal riots and the torture in the police chamber were bothersome.  I feel the movie would have been as good if not better without some of the ghastly scenes.

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