Slumdog Millionaire - Representation (2)

Slumdog Millionaire – Representation of India

As the title suggests, Slumdog Millionaire will have some reference to the slums of India. In actual fact, as the film progresses, less and less of the slums is shown, with the film instead opting for a broader view of India.

The film begins with children from the slums playing cricket. This is the first piece of iconography of India we see; the biggest sport from the nation and a sport synonymous with an outsider view of India.
The use of cricket is a subtle reminder that the film is set in India and will portray a realistic representation of India.

Following this scene is the arrival of huge Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, who everyone from the slums flocks to see a glimpse of. The huge waves of people represents just how large and heavily populated the slums are, and also acts as a signifier for the aspirations for many of the population; make it out of the slums and become as adored as Bachchan. Furthermore, the fact that such a huge number of people run to Bachchan indicates the sad reality that, in comparison with the huge population of the slums, not many people do make it big, and when one does he is revered for it.

The sad representation of the slums continues when the riots break out and Jamal and Salim’s mother is killed. As if not sad enough that children have just witnessed mass slaughter, including a man being set on fire, they are then chastised for arriving late to school because of the rioting. The mere shrugging off of such an event suggests that it is the norm within the slums, and the consequences (such as Jamal and Salim having to essentially become con artists to earn money) expected and understood.

This links into the sad reality of how desperate the children of the slums become; they use their vulnerability and age as a way to make money, effectively becoming con artists trained beyond their years. Not only this, but before we see Jamal and Salim live as independent con artists, we see them work for a group of men who promise safety, shelter and food in exchange. This is a clear sign of the exploitation that is rife within and around the slums, and we get the sense that Jamal and Salim know that the life the gang speak of is full of false promises, but they go along with it for a while because there is seemingly nothing else out there for them.

The theme of minimal opportunities is reinforced here and is present throughout the film. As mentioned above, Amitabh Bachchan represents one of a small minority who successfully made it not only out of the slums, but also made it to stardom. Another person who fits this mould in the film is Prem, who we see as the villain. He is the only ‘slumdog’ to have gone on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire and won the grand prize, and he hates the idea of Jamal taking his ‘crown’ from him. Not only does this illustrate how little is achieved and expected from those in the slums, it also highlights how getting out of the slums is ‘dog eat dog’, and you need to defeat other ‘slumdogs’ in order to reach the top and stay there.

Finally, India is represented by two common movie elements; iconography and stereotyping. The cramped, run down slums are introduced early on and immediately we recognise where we are as well as getting a feel for the film’s mood through the harsh reality of the slums. As we progress, Jamal and Salim are seen exploring the area, and we see the Taj Mahal, possibly the most iconographic image of India and its majesty despite its difficulties.

A stereotypical representation of India is seen through the only legitimate and non-corrupt job we see in the film; Jamal’s occupation. He is a call centre worker, and he is ‘cold calling’ the United Kingdom constantly. This is subtle but it does represent India in a similar way to the character of Prem and Amitabh Bachchan; there are limited opportunities, thus meaning this mundane, much maligned job is possibly the best out there.