In this way the film demonstrates features of a Hybrid Genre.
Follow the presentations and watch the video clips - there is a plan for answering the genre question at the end of the page.
To start with, a look at Bollywood should provide us with some comparisons with the film - the presentation below outlines various conventions of Bollywood as a genre.
Make notes on the following information contained within the presentation...
- Institutional elements
- Themes & Narrative codes (for example typical plots)
- Technical conventions
- Other visual signifiers
Before considering how many influences there are in Slumdog Millionaire - consider how many conventions of Bollywood you can find in these two scenes from the 2007 Bollywood movie Om Shanti Om.
The film is a lighthearted and over the top look at a young out of work actor in India in the 1970s. The first scene reveals his desire to be famous, and in the second scene we see him dreaming about appearing in the movies with the woman he loves, an unobainable Bollywood star...
The last scene of Slumdog Millionaire is a very obvious tribute or homage to the Bollywood genre - the singing and dancing - the surrealism albeit understated compared to a Bollywood film is all there...
...but what influence does Bollywood have throughout the rest of the film?
- Typical love story
- Theme of star crossed lovers
- Representation of Indian crime underworld
- Theme of Fate & Destiny
- References to religion, afterlife and Karma
You must find evidence from the film to support these ideas.
Other than Bollywood we can also look at the notion of a British influence...
The following synopses are from films made in Britain from the past ten years that may be described as British Asian films, see if you can see any connections and conventions in their themes or storylines...
Now see if you can notice any of the conventions in this trailer for East is East and the opening of Bhaji on the Beach...
The latter film was made by prominent British Asian director Gurinder Chadha.
The last influence to consider is really that of popular culture and specifically the game show at the centre of the film: Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
In the meantime, you might be looking for this...
Sm genre from sssfcmedia
