Brotherly Love

Rating: 9/10 (27 March 2009)

I wasn't expecting much from this film. When a movie gets this much hype it typically leaves me wanting more. However, this movie has a certain charm about it that works. At the center of the story is the relationship between his brother, Salim, and a girl, Latika, who is left homeless after an attack that takes Jamal's mothers life. After running from a man who exploits the three for labor, they lose Latika in the midst of hopping on a moving train. Fate brings the three back together for a second and third time. Each time they come back together with a set of new obstacles and the final obstacle is him on a show (Who wants to be a millionaire) to win Latika and free her from her caged life. I thought the ending was uplifting and the brotherly relationship was portrayed very realistic. The film overall was an eye opener to a culture I have very little knowledge of, and the story was definitely well written. You can tell that the movie was low in budget, but it didn't stop me from enjoying it. Two thumbs up from me.
Also the soundtrack was amazing. A well deserved Oscar - looking forward to more works by A.R. Rahman.