I referred to an article titled "Is it the Slumdog reality?" (the Post, Feb. 25). Professor Charles R. Larson, I read your review with interest. I have no objection to the "piece of reality" shown in this fantasy called Slumdog. Danny Boyle is not the first Westerner to do it; I have often seen it in British documentaries about India. Most of the things shown do happen and we have no problem accepting it. My objection is - did this movie deserve any award at all?

By raising this question, I have admitted that the Oscars and Golden Globe are supposedly the highest awards, not my intention at all! It is full of flaws. The standard of questions in the quiz show is appropriate but the explanation offered by Swarup is totally unacceptable except for the first two questions.

Your comments:

You are a hater. The movie is amazing. I almost cried.

Jonathan Zimbrette

I totally agree with Ajay (author of the letter). It was bit unrealistic if you look at the boy's source of knowledge.

Umair Siddiq

Does Ajay understand what fiction is?

Cya

Well, I agree with Ajay, however, I have read the book (Q & A /Slumdog Millionaire) and the story by Swarup is vastly different to the movie - including the game show, the slums and generally overall.

In this light, I think the director did a pretty good job in bringing as much as he could to life within two hours. I think it is a classic case of the book superseding the movie on many, many levels.

Another classic example is the movie Kite Runner where the stories are very different. I can only imagine the frustration the director and the scriptwriter have to go through to bring the story to completion in such a short time.

Unlike Stephen E Ambrose's Band of Brothers, which I personally feel is the best series as it so closely follows the book; most of the time accuracy and the time allowed are in conflict. The music - it goes without saying, it is A.R. Rahman.

Sandip Mahapatra

I agree entirely with Ajay. I have found the editorials by Westerners, in the main, not far removed from the stance and viewpoint of Danny Boyle himself. I guess the cultural divide often makes it impossible to wholly grasp the viewpoint of the natives.

Punam Behl

The letter perfectly sums up what most of us in India are feeling about this movie. The questions and the reasoning shown behind the answers are a farce. There is nothing great in anyone's acting, apart from the kids.

All that carries this movie is the "glitter" and, yes, the music.

This is not even close to A.R. Rahman's best work (he has made better compositions in India before), but the music did deserve the Academy Award. The camera work is fantastic, but the movie is not as good as it has been made out to be. All I can say is, this year's Academy Awards have been an eye-opener to me and I now know they should not be taken too seriously.

Anand Kumar

It is excellent observation. I completely agree with you. Lot of flaws make this movie just an ordinary film. The only face-saving factors are the technical aspects like editing, music editing, music composition, makeup, costume etc.

All of this makes it difficult to believe that there is no "agenda" behind these awards.

Perhaps it may be a natural outcome of the present social frustrations throughout the world. Or it is a consolation for the current economic situation, especially for the Western world?

Surendran Krishnapuram

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