Sunday, February 16, 2020

Will the Slumdog image hurt India's tourism?

Those whove seen the film Slumdog Millionare may be wondering how true to life this depiction of India really is. With riots and disagreements on the day the film was released in India, one has to question the storys validity. Are some of these negative reactions coming from Indians who are too proud to admit that their country has its share of poverty and corruption, or is the movie fallacious in its depiction of orphans and the lower class lives? Could this film hurt Indias tourism industry or intrigue viewers to sport a sari and see it for themselves?

Slumdog Millionaire follows Jamal Malik (played by Dev Patel), a boy who grew up on the streets of Mumbai and gained infinite wisdom through grueling life experiences rather than through organized education. From his escape of being intentionally deformed to coax donations from the rich, to his search for his childhood friend-turned-lost-love, he gains knowledge of the world. These experiences prove practical when competing in the gameshow, Who Wants to be a Millionaire. However, when he is just one question away from winning the top prize, police arrest Jamal on suspicion of cheating.

Although Bollywoods Hindi indie film won numerous awards, it was not Indias favorite flick as a nation. In fact, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mouthpiece Organiser said, Slumdog Millionare distorts Indian reality and conceals Indias prosperity. ThaindianNews reviewed the movie, expressing doubts for increased tourism saying, And to think every prominent member of the cast and crew went around proclaiming Slumdog Millionaire would do wonders for Mumbais tourism industry! Still other Indian viewers declared that they were put off by the movie because it showed the worst of Mumbai, a city which is adorned with some of the most expensive real estate in the world, especially in its Colaba district.

But the movie is not about a well-to-do boy who grows up in a waterside mansion in Mumbais best neighborhood, otherwise the filmmaker would have likely shown the multi-million rupee homes that do indeed exist there. Furthermore, if the facts are considered, one will see that over 250 million people in India still live below the poverty line; the country is home to one-third of the worlds poor according to the World Banks latest estimate; and the country has been called one of the most openly corrupt democracies in the world by numerous writers and researchers from varying countries.

As for Indias tourism industry slowing down, the responsible and caring tourists will always want to see India. Not only for its inner beauty but also to help the countrys impoverished who, like Jamal, have been born into a system with minimal support. This film may motivate viewers to take volunteer vacations through Global Volunteer Network or Globeaware, aiding not only the tourism industry but also the inhabitants.

So for Indians who are worked up over the grimy image portrayed in this film, maybe they will be impelled to lobby, fight corruption and bribery, and raise money for the underdogs of the slums instead of denying their existence. National pride is a great character to possess, but only when used to better ones country.


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16 Feb 2020

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