Slumdog Millionaire: Let’s celebrate success

Yesterday was such a wonderful day; a feel-good day. On Hollywood’s make believe, star-studded pinnacle of glory, Indians found more than their share of mention as accolades came pouring in.

Even though I reached home from work at 3 after night, I had made up my mind to get up at least at 7 the next day to catch the Oscar award presentation. It went on till around 10.45. And it was worth it. After that, with such a good feeling at heart went back to bed to catch a bit of sleep.  

Composer A.R. Rahman displays the Oscars for achievement in music for both original song and original score for his work on the film "Slumdog Millionaire" at the 81st Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 22, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES) (OSCARS-BACKSTAGE)

There was a time when Academy Award presentation and India were like cheese and chalk. Satyajit Ray and a few others who found some mention looked like flashes in the pan. A R Rahman, Resul Pookutty, Gulzar, Pinky and many other child artistes of Slumdog Millionaire and Smile Pinky have blazed a trail of glory, and made India proud.

Why this is so much of celebration will be understood only when one recalls how India and anything even remotely Indian was an immediate disqualification for a global award. Not without reason, though: we lagged behind in quality; and when there was that one-off display of excellence, it got overlooked because of overarching prejudice.

If on 26/11, Mumbai’s posh Taj hit international headlines on a tragic note, yesterday the same Mumbai’s slums made top world news on a cheerful note. There is so much one can read into this irony.

Award was fixed?

We can always look at everything in two ways: one positive and the other cynical. One is progressive, the other is retrograde. I prefer the former. As Indians swept the Oscar awards, one argument was that just like when Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen won the Miss Universe and Miss World, this time too, deliberately Indian talent had been recognised, for economic reasons; apparently to overcome recession. Very creative argument I must say, quite far-fetched as well.

Ian Tapp (L), Richard Pryke (C) and Resul Pookutty pose with their Oscars for achievement in sound mixing for "Slumdog Millionaire" backstage at the 81st Academy Awards in Hollywood, California February 22, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES) (OSCARS-BACKSTAGE)

Also, it has been said that Rahman’s many other better performances and even better films have gone unrecognised. True, perhaps. But that’s hold good not just in this case, but in almost all fields of performance. Sometimes it’s the best team that wins. But the team that wins deserves it. That’s what matters.

Poverty glorified?

Another argument is India’s poverty has been glorified. I have, frankly, not understood this. Poverty is not a myth in India, it’s a reality. Where is glorification here? If someone has used the subject of poverty to script a resonating message of perseverance,  endurance and success; what’s wrong there? Just as luxury and affluence are subjects so too are depravity and handicap.

Indian poet Gulzar, who wrote the lyrics for the Oscar award-winning original song, 'Jai Ho,' for 'Slumdog Millionaire,' talks to the media, in Mumbai, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

In Aamir Khan’s Lagaan, the cricket team was not made up of rich kids. In his Tare Zameen Par, he used the subject of dyslexia. So, I don’t understand how suddenly use of poverty is objectionable. If the objection is that a Britisher used India’s poverty for his movie; I don’t understand how if an Aamir Khan had used the same poverty for a movie it would have looked better. There was the same argument about Satyajit Ray too. It makes no sense to me.

Individual merit

We need to make a distinction between the success of Slumdog Millionaire as a movie, and the individual contributions of Rahman and Pookutty. The former is a combined effect of every person’s contribution honed to perfection by the director. But the award for Rahman and Pookutty are for their very own efforts. For which film they worked is secondary. It’s this fact that is being largely missed; and what we all need to stand up and applaud.

Another point is that is made is that if they had worked for an Indian director’s movie and if that had been nominated, their work wouldn’t have been recognised. One, that is a hypothetical proposition. Two, even if one considers that argument, we need to take into account that good old adage: “at the right time, at the right place, in the right context”. Rahman and Pookutty were also lucky to be also part of a setting that recognised their talent. Same is the case with many talented people who go unrecognised here in India but shine in the US or some such country.

Another turning point

India’s or Indians’ success story is not new. It has been happening. If one were to put a date, it began post-economic liberalisation. That’s why everyone is linking it up India’s success with western financial interests. But the truth is post-1991, Indians have been able to pursue their dreams. If we had a better crop of politicians who facilitated development more actively the progress would have been much faster.

I am sure, not before long, an Indian director’s movie will get an Oscar. Instead of belittling ourselves and our capability to improve and improvise, let us look ahead with hope; celebrate success; and feel happy for the achievements that we Indians have accomplished.