Uplifting but Simplistic

Rating: 1/10 (24 December 2008)

I wanted to see this movie for ages seeing the hype it received in many international film festivals.And I must say, while not being exactly a letdown, it did not seem to quite justify the hype.
The film is modern taken on the rags-to-riches story set in Bombay,India.The bad things about the story first: The film is very predictable,you can tell the whole story of the film in approximately 10 mins.All the characters are either black or white,excepting the hero's brother.The climax was a let down,typical of bollywood films(a frantic climax where somehow everything becomes right!).And as an Indian, yes,i did find the part about "real America" offensive.
Inspite of these faults,the film does strike a chord in one's heart.The cinematography is brilliant,the city of Bombay is presented in a whole new light,one can see beauty amidst squalor.A.R Rahman's music adds to the mood of the film.And finally,the movie is a triumph of human spirit,of fighting against the odds and yet surviving,and for projecting this superbly,this movie is worth a watch.No marks for plausibility though,but as the movie says " Some things are written,are meant to be".Go watch it,but put your cynical self to rest.
All in all , i felt the movie was good but not worth all the Oscar hype it is getting.There are better movies coming out of bollywood then this movie