Tear jerker and good for Hollywood

Rating: Null/10 (11 May 2017)

Lion was a good story and definitely contained some emotional moments.
The western audience's fascination with poverty in other countries, especially India is an easy gravy train for Hollywood. Often films are made to highlight and heighten every poor part of India that can be found which resonates with an unfamiliar Western audience who feel better about themselves and their lives. This shock value is where the directors grasp their audience and where the money lies. The purpose is not to educate audiences and give a complete account of life in India but manufacture certain reactions and surprises to boost the ratings of the film. So off course this film was well received.
India is a beautiful country with raw beauty. It definitely has serious problems but it also has real strengths, charm and a rich culture. I was born in India and have lived in a developed city along with millions of fellow Indians. This city as many other parts of India was quite developed in most parts. Yet sadly this is not documented in any movie, no stories are sought from here and believe me there are tons of moving stories. I shouldn't be surprised because there is no shock value and Hollywood is only interested in showing India in a negative and poor light. It exploits and uses the stories of poor Indians because that would be better for the bottom line. So off course Westerners think the entire country looks like this and that these are the lives of all Indian people.
Lion was a good film but adopted the standard formula Hollywood uses when making Indian related films, showcase a huge amount of poverty. Close to one hour, around 45 minutes, is dedicated to poverty. The same emotional value could have been delivered but the film wanted to emphasise poverty for almost half the film. It also dragged on in parts. The last moments were the best part of the film. I have to admit that when Sheru reunites with his mother it was one of the most emotional moments in cinema. The same story could have delivered with a lot more finesse. No doubt Lion is a beautiful story but Hollywood could not resist the opportunity to use this poor son and his story for commercial purposes. The filmmakers couldn't help themselves from showing excessive poverty.
I do not detest this film's story as it is a moving story but I detest Hollywood for exploiting such a story for its commercial value. You can always expect such stories to be made into films. India is full of rich and successful stories that show this great country in a good light. If Western audiences want to get a 'complete' picture of life they should not lap whatever Hollywood throws at them.