The story of Slumdog Millionaire begins with the protagonist Jamal, competing on India's version of the game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Long story short, as Jamal reaches the 20 million rupees (one million dollar) question, he is taken away by police, because they believe that a boy from the slums like him would not ever be able to get so far without an education. The story progresses with flashbacks from Jamal's life, that describes how Jamal had learned each answer. As a child, Jamal's mother was killed in the Bombay riots, which forced him and his brother Salim to flee for safety. Jamal, Salim, and their new friend Latika are taken in by a group of gangers that make them work as street beggers. They quickly learn that many of the children are blinded by the gangsters to appear more less fortunate to make more money. The three attempt to escape, but Latika is recaptured, and forced to work as a prostitute over the next few years, before Salim and Jamal save her. When the boys are older, Salim decides to go and work for a drug lord, and forces Jamal to leave him and Latika alone. As they grow into adults, Jamal finds himself working at a call center, and wants nothing but to reunite with Latika (whom he loves) and his brother. He is able to reunite with Salim, but not Latika, who is again captured by Salim and his group of gangsters. Jamal then comes up with his idea to go on the Who Wants to be a Millionaire game show to attract the attention of Latika. Salim lets Latika go (a decision he makes without consent of his drug lord partners) and after years of being apart, they finally get to be with one another. - Class is one of the major intercultural differences in the movie. Jamal's time spent at the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire signifies the brash differences between the communication of the rich versus the poor. The show's rich producers are dumbfounded that someone like Jamal could reach the top in the show, and assume that he is cheating despite no signs. He couldn't be a genius they believe, he's from the slums! The game show illustration lines up with the interpretive approach's belief that human behavior is creative rather than predicted. If Jamal had followed the basic of idea of someone from the slums, there would be no way he would have gotten past the first question. It was destiny for him.
- Gender is an intercultural difference in the movie. Latika is the main female character in the movie (of few women to begin with) and her character as a women is viewed as "secondary" or "minimal" to many of them men in the film. Women are not viewed as having much worth, other than for their sexuality, which she is exploited of while she worked as a kidnapped prostitute. Although she is quiet and humble, she is still strong, reinforcing that human behavior is subjective.
- Slumdog Millionaire also highlights the cultural ethnicity in the movie. Much of the movie shows drastic scenes of poverty (especially while they are children) and what the Indian children choose to do to maintain a sense of who they are. Music is a release for them. As Jamal, Salim, and Latika turn into adults, they gradually see what money can do, and for some it is good, and for some, it is evil. But through it all, their love for one another (between Jamal and Salim, and Jamal and Lakita) is able to reunite them as a common unit.
Martin, J.N., & Nakayama, T.K. (2010). Intercultural communication in contexts (5th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.
Boyle, D.(Director). (2008) Slumdog Millionaire [Motion Picture]
Slumdog Millionaire is one of my favorites too! I can't seem to get through a whole viewing without tearing up a bit, though. I think you hit the nail on the head with identification of cultural patterns. Class, gender and ethnicity are all huge parts of what makes Jamal's story so compelling. You might have also added the socioeconomic identities that surround this plot line.
ReplyDeleteGreat movie. I loved the image you chose of Jamal. I also like that you mentioned how music was a way for them to escape. I thoroughly enjoy this movie and think you pieced everything together nicely and showed clear and concise connections between the film and the interpretive approach on cultural identity. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat organization and detail with this blog post. This is exactly what I am looking for in terms of your second Cultural Reporter Blog. Go out and collect interview and observational data and then present it to us in three key themes. Well done!
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