Slumdog Millionaire

Jamal Malik, an 18-year-old orphan from a slum of Mumbai, is one question away from winning 20 million rupees on India's version of 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?'

The question is 'How did Jamal do it?'

A. He cheated.
B. He was lucky.
C. He's a genius.
D. It is written.

The movie opens with this question.

***

'Slumdog Millionaire' by Danny Boyle is so far one of the best movies I've watched in my life.

Every once in a while, a seemingly ordinary film, with no famous cast and flying heroes, enters the theatre and takes the audiences by surprise.

'Slumdog Millionaire' makes me fall in love with movies all over again.

***

The plot is simply stunning.

It's about a story of a young man on India's version of 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'. It starts off with the police interrogating him for cheating in the show.

But soon the inspector and the audiences realise that he knew the answers for a reason.

Like the opening question to the movie, the four things - knowledge, tricks, luck and fate - which one is the answer to all the things happened in life?

It is a love story. But also a revelation of oppression, prejudices and economic exploitation in India, a hardcore brotherhood movie and a life examination.

To top it all, it has a nail-biting storyline that 'climaxes' till the very end - will he win the 20 million rupees?

Find it hard to believe?

***

Let's see the reviews:

* It's a Dickensian picture about a world rarely, if ever, seen in mainstream movies, a film that grabs us from the opening frame and doesn't let go until the credits roll at the end.

* It is drama, comedy, musical, thriller, love story, and more in one transcending, riveting story. It is life on celluloid and, easily, one of the best movies of the year.

* What Boyle has done is truly miraculous. He has turned a film about street life in Bombay into a visceral, genuine crowd-pleaser. And you will walk out of the movie theater feeling inspired and hopeful, knowing you've just seen something very special.

* "Slumdog Millionaire" is not to be missed. It is the best movie of the year. And it is, without any doubt, one of the ten best films of the decade.

I am not a big fan of prizes and awards, but (just in case you are one) it's worth mentioning this so that you know - Slumdog Millionaire won five Critics' Choice Award, four Golden Globes, and seven BAFTA Awards, including Best film and has been nominated for ten Academy Awards.

OK. I know most of you might have watch it since it was screening for quite a while.
But if you happen to not watch it yet - go watch it now.

'It is a masterpiece that not only leaves you smiling but counting the days until you can see it again.'

I can't agree more.