Darshan do ghanshyam - India at the centre stage

Rating: 10/10 (18 January 2009)

This movie is the best film of 2008 and is destined to sweep many awards , deservingly a couple of Oscars as well. It was a true cinematic treat from Danny Boyle (from Trainspotting), who has been able to bring out wide array of human emotions draped in Indian style but with a taste for universal audience.
Firstly the script is every bit as interesting as a murder mystery and keeps one on his toes, a true genius from Vikas Swarup (debut novelist from India- novel "Q&A"). Boyle doesn't go wrong anywhere from start till the end, be it the choice of the cast, the locations, the music (A.R. Rahman). The cast with small kids (espically Shyam) is truly exceptional, and so is the main lead(Dev Patel) and Irfan Khan. The movies reaches to every nook and corner of Dharavi (biggest slum in Mumbai) and tells the story of all the thousands orphans, and the tormenting life they go through.Story of a kid from slum, survives and fights his way to the top with nothing but hope.
Being an Indian, i am rather sad to admit that most of it is not far from reality but i do hope that movies such as this one can help bring the wider attention to such problems and help the cause. I would certainly say that movies such as this one are rare and should be treasured.