Slumdog - Literary versus Celluloid

I read Vikas Swaroop's 'Q&A' couple of years ago. I must thank my dear friend Alok Jha - (who is also from the same corps as the now-far-more-famous-author of the story that Danny Boyle has twisted enough to take Indian celluloid to the Oscars) - for introducing me to the book. A book which I may have never picked up at all while rummaging through the shelves at Timbuktoo - the only English Bookshop here, frequented so often by our anglo-phone friends especially Alok on his then frequent visits from Senegal).

I recently saw 'Slumdog Millionaire'. We've heard so much about the film and I was all set to be disappointed... a disappointment that naturally occurs over over-hyped offerings. What would this offering by Danny Boyle do?

I had enjoyed the book. The book was one, among others, that gave me inspiration - that it was possible for 'anyone to write' (Gousteau from 'Ratatouille' - made similar statements about people who could weave similar magic with culinary skills too. "Anyone Can Cook" - was the theme of that Celluloid drama). Can Anyone Write? Ofcourse, anyone can write, but getting people to read what they write is the challenge.

Vikas, Shah (The Caliphs House - A year in Casablanca) and Chetan Bhagat have done that to me and to a million other readers. Thus, here I too am, attempting to make people read what I write.

Vikas' book versus Boyles celluloid version - There is a mismatch. Authors have the luxury to be able to explain thoughts and imagination. Their celluloid-medium counterparts, however have to get the character to act and express imagination. Thus books seem to always be better than their films. I was surprised to find articles ridiculing Swaroop and his novel while at the same time Boyle was receiving accolades at making a superhit of a movie from a non-descript novel. THis is where I beg to differ.

I was disappointed by Slumdog. After having rewatched 'SlumDog' with an analytical mind - I am more or less convinced that Vikas' storyline makes sense. To a critical Indian, Boyles story has loopholes. I refer not to his genuine depiction of Dharavi life that has tickled the patriotism of many Indians ashamed of this indecent exposure of a real situation. I refer to loopholes that I list below in this 'budget' film that has made 'Crore-pathis' of most of the team within teh 'Slumdog Millionaire'. (I am also convinced that his budget film was budget because he probably didnt have to re-create sets and just let his 'child' artistes play around while he filmed them.)

Vikas cleverly used a plagiarised version of Kaun Banega C.. thus a cheap studio copy of a very successful show - explaining thus the cheap character exhibited by Anil Kapoor. The Studio running at a loss and unable to pay the winnings, explains the show hosts desperation to stump the candidate. Boyles KBC does not define it as a cheap version - only that the host is cheap. Unimaginable to an Indian audience in my opinion - especially after having had AB and SRK do the original shows.

Ram Mohammed Thomas wins the game show and then is questioned and tortured before he is rescued by the reporter following a story. Jamal is tortured before the end of the show and then is taken back for the final question. Tough to swallow that he would keep quiet.

Boyle has yet woven the tale with exceptional performances from the kids - almost as though they weren't acting - but the Inspector Irfan couldve been droning his Hutch pre-paid adverts and Constable Sreenivas isnt anywhere near a Dharavi Sreenivas. Anil Kapoor couldve been playing Mr India and is the Weakest Link. The technical aspects of the film are I guess what make the presentation beautifully brilliant. Rahmans' Music is superb - exhibiting the immense talent in this genius. I must admit that he deserves nominations for many more scores of his - but those didnt have the backing of Danny Boyle. ( Funnily, at the mention of Danny, I can hear Jim Reeves singing Oh Danny Boy in my memory - 'I love you so' he croons)

It's a pity that books dont have music.

The Reluctant Faithless Faith-Healer

I believe I'm agnostic. But I am too superstitious to admit it. For fear that, if at all this 'supreme' being, that I do in a way believe exists, actually does exist, then He could 'curse' me, a non-believer, and that would be quite an issue to handle in my head. Doesn't this smell like a Catch 22 situation. If I do not believe in the Supreme power, then I have nothing to fear. Yet I fear that he could use his power to destroy me for not believing. I don't believe he exists ( in forms propogated by rligions) yet I believe that he has the 'existant' power to destroy me!! Yossarian would have been proud of me ( Josef Hellers hero in Catch 22).

That brings me to a close line dividing faith and healing. Faith is the source of Misery. And yet we go to faith to help us heal our misery too. I'm sure, that is one reason, when one goes deep into Hindu and Buddhist mythology ( you may call it History or Religion), all the characters, be it the Gods or the Demons believed in meditation - thus peace of the inner mind. They believed that with complete relaxation and focussed thought, they could achieve anything. Including invoking the Gods themselves. ( Gods invoking other Gods - Like Batman seeking Spidermans help).

I remember a conversation that I had 'many moons ago' with a friend from the Bahai faith. She was explaining to me the advantages of the faith and I kept on with my standard diatribe about religion ' Religion is the cause for division among people and thus the cause for misery in today's world.' I said. She went on to try and convince me that the Bahai faith grew to cure this very problem. To unite people of different faiths. Another faith to reduce division among faiths. 'Their' prophet was preaching exactly that - the unity among various faiths - thus the recognition of each religion and their prophets. How religion has transgressed from being one about ones inner self ( Hinduism & Buddhism) to that of Family & Community( Christianity & Sikhism) to one of Nations ( Jewish and Islam) and thus Bahai was the first one to propose the religion of World unity. I continued to insist that another religion just was another slice and thus meant more division. When will we hvae a unity of reilgions from Earth with those of Mars? I must make it clear - that I criticize not the supreme - but his subjects who belive that unision begins with division!

Looking back once again, Meditation was the solution to any problem. What is prayer? It is a form of relaxation and focussing the mind away from the clutter of inconsequential thought to that of essential thought. This frees the mind from stressful thought. Thus meditation brought one away from stress. When one is relaxed and stress free, vital organs function normally. But the moment there is stress, various enzymes are secreted into the blood stream and it is my belief that these are the enzymes that actually do the harm. You could be a gourmet on food - and yet live a weighty but healthy life. Gourmet + Stress is an instant formula for a heart attack. Life spans are reduced due to stress. A hunter friend once told me that a swift kill is far tastier than one where the target has been subject to stress. An animal killed with violence I guess anyway has a shorter life (not related to cholestrol) but the vanquer of the prey too will suffer the effects of eating flesh with more adrenaline, and this once again has a chain reaction.

A simple inference from this is that those who live stress free lives, though need not neccessarily live longer, but could indulge in behaviour that stressed people shouldn't. I consume alcohol. Alcohol consumed for pleasure or habit, normally wouldnt harm you - in moderation of course ( My moderation is more than your moderation!!). Mix Alcohol with Adrenaline and is like an energy boost. If this boosted energy is channelised and burnt up - thats fine. But IF it is left to react with the rest of your system - disaster starts. And the same probably goes for all other maladies of the body. Eat well - Eat Gourmet - Let your inner body deal with the enzymes neccessary to digest and extract the maximum from your food. You may be overweight - but thats fine - Your Body knows you are overweight and thus treats anything that you injest as it should. Your mind is like a good manager - not formally trained but learning on the job - from within. Start worrying and have stress - then your mind has more to deal with. Enzymes for digestion mix up with enzymes for handling stress and THAT my friends is where the problem starts.

The Budhist chants, the Hindu chant of Om, the silent christian prayer and Allah ho Akbar were all meant to take your thoughts away - to let your body relax. These very tools of good health are today the cause of stress.

It isn't just religion that does this to you. The very doctors, entrusted with providng medical care, don't often realise that the very sight of their white uniforms ( or green uniforms) and the smell of formaldehyde and other disinfectants that make hospital smells so unique - get 'eveil' enzymes pumping into our system and thus act as the 'accelerator' of our ailments. A common headache - gets worse the more you think about it.

Eat Drink and be Merry - is just fine. Worry about it and the Chain Reaction starts. Each of us can become our own doctors for minor ailments. Hakuna Matata a phrase we call came to know so well after Disney popularised it in The Lion King. But its good for Monkeys and its good for us too. Dont Worry - Be Happy someone crooned. Do just that and live a stressfree life.

Maybe I should proclaim a new religion - a religion of the faithless faithfull.