Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 dram and romance film. Adapted by Simon Beaufoy from Vikas Swarup's novel Q & A, the film explores themes of social inequality, class transitions and individual destiny in the Indian subcontinent through a multi-layered narrative. Starring Dev Patel, Freida Pinto and Madhur Mittal, the film is notable for its structure that questions traditional narrative forms and its interrupted time structure.

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Plot

The film begins with Jamal Malik, an 18-year-old who grew up in the poor neighborhoods of Mumbai, being arrested on suspicion of cheating one step away from winning the grand prize in the quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati? (Who Wants to be a Millionaire?), which is broadcast in India. During the police interrogation, Jamal explains how he learned the answers to each question in the quiz through events in his life. The death of his mother in the Hindu-Muslim riots, his struggle to survive on the streets with his older brother Salim, his years-long search for Latika, whom he met as a child, and his escape from a gangster named Maman are all part of this narrative. Throughout the movie, it is shown how each of Jamal's difficulties coincides with the questions he faces in the competition. The main purpose of Jamal's participation in the contest is to reach Latika. The film explores the themes of fate, love and inequality between social classes.

Cast and Characters

• Jamal Malik (Dev Patel): He is an orphaned youth from the slums of Mumbai who tries to win the grand prize by participating in the "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" contest. All the difficulties and experiences in his life make him know the answers to the questions in the competition. His goal is to find Latika.
• Latika (Freida Pinto): She is the girl Jamal has known since childhood, whom he loves and tries to find throughout the movie.
• Salim (Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail): Jamal's older brother. He is more ruthless and manipulative than his brother, but plays an important role by repenting at the end. He takes part in Javed's criminal organization.

Box Office Performance

The film's budget was an estimated US$15,000,000. Its gross revenue in the US and Canada was US$141,319,928. On its opening weekend, November 16, 2008, it grossed US$360,018 in the US and Canada. Its worldwide gross revenue was US$ 378,411,362.

Awards and Nominations

Awards

Film has won 153 awards and received 133 nominations. The most important of these are the following:

Oscar Awards (2009)

• Best Picture - Christian Colson
• Best Director - Danny Boyle
• Best Adapted Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy
• Best Cinematography - Anthony Dod Mantle
• Best Editing - Chris Dickens
• Best Music (A.R. Rahman) Best Song
• Best Sound Mixing

Other Awards

• BAFTA (2009): Best Film, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay
• American Cinema Editors Award: Best Editing
• American Society of Cinematographers: Cinematography Achievement in Motion Pictures
• Critics Choice Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Young Actor (Dev Patel)
• Saturn Nomination: Best Young Actor (Dev Patel), Best International Film.

Nominations

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA (2009)

• Best Performance by a Young Actor (Dev Patel)
• Best International Film

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