It is all but fitting for Slumdog Millionaire to have bagged several Oscars and Golden Globe Awards. It is the kind of movie that leaves you feeling good in the end . It shows you the worst of the world (or this part of the world called the slums of Mumbai) and then shines the light of true love and hope in just the right places.

Slumdog Millionaire, a movie adaptation of the book, Q & A by Vikas Swarup, was filmed in slums of India. Filipinos could surely relate to it, being from a third-world country themselves, a country where game shows freeze time and lines to lottery ticket outlets go on for miles.

I found the movie both painful and refreshing. I was never a fan Bollywood but the scoring on this one was ingenious, proliferating much awe and newfound respect for Indian music. Although there is said to be a few altered elements from the book, the transitions are flawless and the plot is simple enough. A sucker for beautiful cinematography, I have to say that this is one of the best. The characters were very well-portrayed and I developed a special liking for Madhur Mittal, who played Jamal's brother, Salim.

I guess on the technical aspect, Slumdog Millionaire is as British as it could get under the direction of Danny Boyle but at the heart, it is very much Indian, regardless of the inauthentic accents and all.

Director: Danny Boyle
Co-Director: Loveleen Tandan
Studio: Celador Films, Film4
Release Date: Nov 2008 (US)