I thought it was going to be another Monday morning. I was just browsing through the various channels on TV to start with, and saw the 81st Annual Academy Awards function in Star Movies. It was the Oscars! And I sat there for the next 2 hours glued to it.
Smile Pinki got the award for the Best Documentary short film. I haven’t seen the documentary, but I am happy for her that she too was mentioned at the Oscars. How many are lucky like that?
A.R.Rahman and Rasul Pookutty did deserved the awards for Slumdog Millionaire. I won’t say “Jai ho” was the Best original song and all, but the original background score was brilliant and the sound mixing, editing, or whatever term it is called, was brilliant. The story was simple and nothing much to talk about. But the photography, sound, music, film editing etc was brilliant.The speeches made by those Indians, made every Indian proud. Rasul indeed made history. I liked his speech more than Rahman’s, who was more professional, though he spoke Hindi, English and Tamil on the stage. It was indeed a drama to speak of the country and making it proud and all, but its indeed a priceless moment, which would rewrite history and would be boasted of much, in coming years.
Back home, India is celebrating like nothing else for the Oscar victory. They even claim Slumdog Millionaire is their film. Indian film! If they were so proud, why were there protests of portraying India and its poverty? The story and theme was used in Bollywood and other Indian films, in many ways and from many years. Yet, to produce, to write, to cast and to direct, we needed Danny Boyle. Isn’t it his film then? He has made us realize the potential hidden in the country, not the poverty, but the ability to shoot and create a good film on any topic, even on the common topic of poverty. Lagaan, Taare Zameen Par and some other films long back was supposed to be at the Oscars, but didn’t make it. Doesn’t this show that there are talents in this country, which are not at all being used by us? Or rather misused by us? And now, we are celebrating, as we did the film!
Though I had liked Slumdog Millionaire (read my review here), I was not willing to see it as the Best Motion Picture. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was indeed curious. I had never seen or could have imagined a story or visualised a theme in which people grow backwards. The other huge hit, The Dark knight, had not got mixed reviews like the Slumdog Millionaire(SDM), but a great response and the best reviews. Compared to the other nominated movies, I found that SDM was odd one out. Like in Bollywood and Hindi Cinema, there should have been a category for the Best popular film or something like that and in which it could have been contested with Dark Knight. Thank God, the actors Dev Patel and Freida Pinto was not nominated for lead roles. This could have been easily done in India. But thankfully, Oscars spoke of seriously atleast most of the time.The awards for Best Actor and Actresses were well-deserved. On the whole, only the Best film award was not liked by many, though the rest were good.
The mere visual appeal of the execution of the Oscar event, and its elegant and grand style reminds of how the world considers Movies as an mixture of art, creativity and talent, and makes it a must-watch event. Did you watch the Oscars?
@quiz_master tweeted:
“Hahaha! Oscar na milaa.. Jaise Bhagwan mil gayaa”
So true! We all know Oscars are rigged. Remember 2002 when Halle Berry & Denzel Washington won & it was touted as “black victory”. Coincidence? And we’ve an “Indian” theme with Slumdog, Smile Pinki winning awards. “What a fucking joke. Ha!” (The White Tiger style) Benjamin Button should’ve won more.
Great movies like The Dark Knight and Curious case of Benjamin Button doesn’t need an Oscar. 😀
Its good to see about Smile pinki here, everyone applauds Slumdog millionaire and stop there, very few are aware of this movie.
Kudos to all oscar winners.
I was only able to watch the highlights being played again and again.
As you mention, its more of a Danny Boyle film with an Indian cast. Non Indian channels report that SDM has won 8 Oscars, but the names of Rahman, Resul or Gulzar is not taken. SDM being a big banner production got more publicity than any of the Indian movies have been able to.
Then again, it indeed makes us proud to know that 3 Indians have left their un-erasable mark in the history of Movies.
@Ashwin: did you start tweetcommenting? putting all your tweets as comments 😛
@Bala: true. its just she got lucky for these recognitions…
@Sunil: whatever it be, hype or publicity, yes, its been good for India 🙂