NB: This is not a classic. Not even close to it. I am writing this review because I cant tolerate the hype that this movie is generating.
If you want to see a good movie on the life in slums, see Dharavi or Salaam Bombay. If this gets to Oscars, Salaam Bombay should have swept it. This movie lacks the basic tenets of a classy movie. The premises of this story are so stupid that even a 5 yr old kid would recognize the fallacy. If you could know who invented the revolver just because you saw your elder brother use one, you would know who came up with the idea of mobiles just because you use them everyday!!!! And lots more...infact almost all the premises are improbable to say the least...a blind Indian beggar in Mumbai knows that Benjamin Franklin is on a 100$ note.
This movie has been made with a deliberate attempt to sell misery. There are lots of ways to show it, this is just a commercial way. The worst part of the movie was when a policeman was hitting the protagonist(Jamal) for being an aide to car thieves. Jamal told 2 American tourist, "This is the real India". The tourists gave him a 100$ bill saying, "This is the real America son". Mind O mindless arrogant money beasts, Indians are not beggars....
Whats even more enraging is the way the quiz host, Anil Kapoor behaves with Jamal in this movie. If a chaiwallah really has the skills to come up to a quiz show, the audience and host will actually help and empathize with him,praise him. Not act with contempt. Mr Rehman, you must be ashamed to be associated with this movie.
After all the scathing review, I must admit it corresponds to a well made Hindi movie with a happy Bollywoodish ending making it a good watch. The 2nd half was lot better than the first part. Music is good but probably AR has delivered better before this.
Nevertheless go and watch it, you will come to know how to make a movie that sells well though will not go down in history. Fortune favors the brave.
Overall 6/10