One of the benefits of the success of Slumdog Millionaire is that it is raising awareness of the plight of children who live in poverty. Personally, I have been approached by many people asking if the scenes in the film are realistic.
Are there children in India who really live like that? Are there really organized rings that make a business of children begging on the street? Surely the maiming of a young child – the very difficult scene to watch in the movie – cannot be a reality? The answer, of course, is yes. Yes, children in India – and in many parts of the world – live and die in this reality.
The power of Slumdog Millionaire is that Danny Boyle has captured, in quite an amazing way, the spirit of of the back alleys and slums that many people wish they could ignore. And, not only has he shown the reality of dire poverty, he has also shown the vibrance, the survival instinct and the hope for these children. My brother, Gotham, and Danny Boyle, the director of Slumdog Millionaire chatted about Dharvi, the vast, ever expanding slum city where his story takes place. As you listen to their conversation, I hope you take away the hope and magic, as well as the challenges that life has to offer. (The entire conversation is here. The clip about the children and Dharvi is here.)
Several years ago, I came across a blog by a remarkable woman, Anouradha Bakshi, who started an organization, Project Why, to support the education of children living in poverty in Delhi. I visited, with my two young daughters, the few rooms where she provides education and care for children who have the potential to succeed, but are faced with dire odds to even survive. From mentally challenged kids who have no where else to go to children who need heart transplants to toddlers whose mothers are doing anything they can to survive, Anouradha has given a name, a face and a story to these beautiful souls. I was so moved by her work that I donated 10% of the gross proceeds that I received from my book, 100 Questions to My Child to Project Why. What I liked about her efforts is that she is totally grassroots… so much so that she is often struggling to meet the needs of just one more child. I encourage you to learn more about Project Why, or other such organizations, and if you are moved, make a donation.
Times are tough around the world as we begin the new year. However, my hope is that as we each think about our own personal intentions, we also remember the larger global community that is often struggling just to survive one more day.
If I could vote for the Golden Globes, my vote for Best Director definitely goes to Danny Boyle and Best Musical Score to our friend, AR Rahman! Not only is it a powerful movie, it tells a story that has definitely moved many people to look at the world differently.
Read Gotham Chopra’s blog about Danny Boyle and storytelling and listen to Danny Boyle’s interview about storytelling and Slumdog Millionaire
Please heed your true calling, everyone.
http://www.intent.com/blog/2009/01/08/everybody-p…
In love and peace,
Razz
Thank you Mallika and bless you… it is true that the plight of children in India is abysmal. Not only the beggar children who roam the streets, but children of the very poor and particularly those of migrants to big cities. These are the ones we work with.
They have urban dreams and no means to fulfill them. They are the ones who are often targets to predators of all kind. let us not forget the simple and almost inaudible admission of the terrorist who survived the Mumbai killings: I left home because I did not get new clothes for Eid!
What is worse is that no one, and least of all the government is doing anything to better their plight. The latest incredible and chilling news to hit us was that the municipal corporation of Delhi is envisaging auctioning 60 primary schools to make malls! The municipality is the only agency that provides primary education for the poor and the city has over 500 000 children who are not in school!
On the other side these very kids that many give up as hopeless manage to top their class if given a little and support.
So every effort, no matter how tiny is worthwhile.
Thank you for this post and the links, Mallika. Danny Boyle is an amazing film maker. Right now I am reading the highly recommended
"White Tiger" by Aravind Adiga, (winner 2008 Man Booker Prize) which also vividly describes the homeless. A wonderful and funny book. Here is a review.
http://scienceblogs.com/thescian/2008/12/book_rev…
I believe India will be see much growth and development in the coming years. It is an impressive country.
?Namast
Chhoti-behn Mallika,
The last film I saw was -Salam Bombay. Now, am going to do Slumdog – after reading your account of it. Can I suggest a follow-up to the latter, tentatively titled The Audacity of taking on the British, with apologies to the President-Elect and to your father.
Sorry to go on blowing my own trumpet, my audacity is 30+ years of campaigning here in the land of our ex-rulers.
My campaign has more than a couple of miracles, including yours truly stepping out of his wrecked small car after being banged about by a road-raging truck driver. What saved me was the car rocking about on at least two of its wheels and keeping close to the trucker.
The piece of resistance was when the truck hit such a sweet spot that the car spun around 180 degrees on the spot and carried me off the road into the field. What was that car chase in the film, well, I dunno any such divine turn.
Yours and your brother Gotham's write-up on the Slumdog … made me think of sending a synopsis of my campaign to Gotham for a screenplay of it. If it passes muster with your brother and his colleagues, A R Rehman will add the four musical moons to the project.
Then there would be a prequel, sequel etc, so 20-30% of royalties would be donated to Project Why.
Am reluctant to post it as a blog, who do I email it to?
Love, Jiten
The story of Project Why is very heartwarming and I was touched that you shared the deeper meaning behind their cause with your daughters. They'll grow up with the same compassion and understanding you've always displayed. I understand India's plight having traveled there many times during my flight attendant career and I'm really looking forward to watching the movie when it becomes available on dvd, for personal reasons, I don't support the entertainment industry and I also avoid movie theatres.
Hugs, Lily
dear mallika,
i agree with anouradha word to word, every day when i go out i walk by some footpath dwellers and their babies, being a woman who will never have a child of her own, it breaks my heart to see how these tiny ones suffer. i tried to join an organisation which teaches these children for free, but they did not contacted me back, i am too busy earning my own bread to start a venture on my own. yet their pain breaks my heart.
thanks for the post.
with warmest affection,
sharmishtha
Thank you Mallika, Namaste
I thought you might like to know that my brother-in-law is chairman of a charity called CHIT – Childrens Homes in India Trust. The aim is to provide a good home and schooling to orphaned and deprived children from the Baptala area of Andra Pradesh. The idea is to break the circle of poverty so that the children can learn to become valued members of society. Many become nurses and teachers themselves. Much has been achieved over the last few years.
Their website is http://www.chitonline.co.uk Do please take a look.
Blessings be upon you
I have personally witnessed miracle of street children, given a little direction and encourgement, overcoming their enviornmental constrains, and coming out trumps. Two girls I know had studied by the street light in central Kolkata and managed to get first division, and they are pursuing higher studies.
These street children, do not need much, but even a little of our time, caring attitude, understandingand of course money, can do wonders.
Thank you for raising awareness about the work that Project Why is doing. I think it is really helpful to know that movies, like Slumdog Millionaire, are about issues facing real people.
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That is sad to know when children have to work on streets to sustain their basic needs. At a very young age, they learn that life is never easy. We are thinking of moving to India soon. It is job related, but I want to bring my family with me.
There are so many countries which have this problem too.I don't think only India has it's children which need to work at a very young age.The problem is from a long time I guess it started about several thousands of years ago when the camp of the rich and the poor has been established.If we can understand that we could all live together it would be a big step for us.<a rel="follow" href="http://www.princessbowtique.net/category_6/Baby-Flowers-Headbands.htm">baby flower headbands
Danny boyle is a great film maker and showed us the harsh reality of street children in INDIA, I wish these kids get kidnapped by NGO's that provide free education (http://www.jaagore.com/project/volunteers-indoor-program-teaching-street-children) rather then these goons who make them suffer by making them physically disabled and then beg .