Formative Writing †Slumdog Millionaire Essay

The film Slumdog Millionaire by British born director Danny Boyle, gives a particular insight into life in India, and more specific altogethery the city of Mumbai through the use of context. It is this cultural backdrop presented through the perspective of outsider that not only makes the film special, but also sparked a deal of debate whether the image revealed is an accurate portrayal of India. The film attempts to show the appalling and disturbing realities that occur in India, including poverty, injustice, slums, gang culture and prostitution. An example of single of these realities world depicted is in the scene where Jamal and Salim have been captured by the gangster Maman who plans to blind Jamal in order to make him a profitable resist as he will evoke more sympathy if blind.The setting of the scene is outside a remote building where the gangsters keep the children at night. These children be placed away from the rest of civilisation showing how they are unwanted an d are outsiders. The lighting is minimal making it dark, eerie and scarey which is also coupled with fast pace camera shots which are preponderantly close-ups on things such as the acid, Mamans face and one of his accomplices cranny his knuckles. All of these features work to leaseher in order to create an intimidate impression on the viewer as we dont get the full perspective echoing how the children are being tricked and deceived.Salim watches one of the boys eyeball being burned yet the viewer doesnt get to light upon this, instead the horror is echoed through Salims physical reaction as he vomits. It appears that the director wants to shock the audience and present the horrors present in Indian culture, yet he doesnt show it physically being done, creating a barrier which shields the western audience at all times. Maman asks Salim whether he wants the life of a Slumdog or a man? This gives the impression that all Indian men should want to be and are like Maman who is slimi ness and corrupt, giving a negative representation of men in India.