February 23, 2009

Slumdog sweeps Oscars, but, did it have a message?

Whoa.. time of celebration for all Indians as the 'Slumdog' title originally written by Vikas Swarup (who thankfully got a mention, once, twice) won 8 Oscars out of 10 for which it was nominated for... It came as a surprise that it won the Best Picture too.. Well, discussing our points of views and our 'judgments' between my colleagues Anubha Mamgain and Kiraun, Anubha leave the thought for this post - 'Nobody talked about the message in the movie.' Perhaps, there was no conscious message intended to pass on. It was purely commercial. If there were true actors in the movie 'Slumdog Millionaire', guess it was the kids and kids alone. None else. I'm glad to see a press release by the end of the day from World Vision which has also identified the message and here's what it says: "Don't just be entertained; do something!"

World Vision India called for action that ensures children like Jamal, Salim and Latika are protected, educated and cared for. "While the film does a good job depicting the realities of slum life to a large extent, there are many more challenges these children are up against," said Dr. Jayakumar Christian, National Director World Vision India. "Moviegoers should realize that poverty in India is a clear and present challenge for children in India -but there are tangible ways people can make a difference."

About World Vision: The organization works in close to 50 slums like Dharavi, depicted in Slumdog Millionaire, as well as communities across the country, assisting street children, people living with HIV and AIDS, child labourers, migrants and families in need of clean water, sanitation, education and economic opportunities.
The public can donate or learn more by visiting www.worldvision.in

CONTACT DETAILS
Joy Christina. R, Manager - Media Relations, World Vision India, +91 (044) 24807064 / +919840798734, Joy_Christina@wvi.org

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