The new millionaire! *-A* <http://www.screenindia.com/news/the-new-millionaire/416087/#> *+A<http://www.screenindia.com/news/the-new-millionaire/416087/#> * Font Geety Sahgal <http://www.screenindia.com/columnist/geetysahgal/> Posted: Jan 30, 2009 at 1148 hrs IST Print <http://www.screenindia.com/story.php?id=416087&pg=-1>Email<http://www.screenindia.com/static/story-email/> Newsletter <javascript:void(0)>Post Comments<http://www.screenindia.com/news/the-new-millionaire/416087/#postcomm> RSS <http://www.expressindia.com/fesyndication/screen.xml>
Related Articles 'I'm the female Akshay Kumar'<http://www.screenindia.com/news/im-the-female-akshay-kumar/393709/>'Hum'ming away <http://www.screenindia.com/news/humming-away/277721/>BEYOND THE FRONTIERS <http://www.screenindia.com/news/beyond-the-frontiers/269804/>DIFFERENT STROKES <http://www.screenindia.com/news/different-strokes/269801/> *Danny Boyle has 11 Bafta nominations, four Golden Globe wins and now 10 Oscar nominations for Slumdog Millionare. Costing seven million pounds, the film has already grossed six million pounds in the UK and 40 million dollars in the US alone. The award-winning director tells how this blockbuster almost landed up on DVD and more...* *Are you excited that Slumdog Millionaire has been nominated for the Oscars as well?* We have been blessed by the fabulous response to the film! I am excited by the Oscar nominations, but I was very anxious to know the response here. It is very important for me that the Mumbai audience likes the film because it has been shot here. *How did you react to Amitabh Bachchan's scathing criticism about depicting the impoverished side of Mumbai in the film?* I have only shown what is real and tried to include the good with the bad! I am proud to have painted a picture of Mumbai however imperfect it may be. The sordid background was important to the film as it added to the drama of the plot. The film would not have made an impact if the protagonist was from an affluent background! Besides, what I wanted to portray was the breathtaking resilience of the people of Mumbai. Everyone has their own perceptive and we have to accept it! *Have you met him?* I never got to meet him, but I would like to! It's important to meet a person with a different opinion, only then will the interaction be interesting. *What made you settle for an Indian backdrop?* The world is changing, and it is quite clear that this is Asia's century! And I loved Mumbai with all its imperfections. And the story, that you can come from nowhere and still make it big, is universal. So it could be set anywhere. *The film which was to have a DVD release is now running to packed theatres in the US and UK? How was that journey?* Yes, we started off making a small film, and like it happens with all small films we never knew what would happen next! And when our distributor who was based in US backed out, we thought we would land up on DVD. But thanks to Fox Star Studios, who put us on the big screen we made it. I bow down to destiny for that! And how we got a great composer like Rahman and an actor like Anil Kapoor from India is also destiny! *Your first choice for the quizmaster's role was Shah Rukh Khan but it didn't work out.* Yes, we saw a recording of KBC and wanted him to play Prem, which is now played by Anil Kapoor. I've been hugely welcomed here but Indian actors are so busy doing day-and- night shifts that it is almost impossible to meet them! *How was it to have A R Rahman on board?* It was Shekhar Kapur who put me on to Rahman. We were really lucky that he agreed to do the film. His fusion numbers have carried the film forward. Rahman has also become a big name in UK. When he went out during lunch-time from his small studio, people would run across the dual carriageway to shake hands with him! I felt so proud when he went to receive his Golden Globe! *What was the most challenging thing about shooting the film here in Mumbai? * I think it was extremely challenging to shoot with the seven-year-olds next to the railway tracks! I was so scared that they would get hurt, but action director Sham Kaushal handled all the scenes so well, including their dangling out of trains that were in motion! *What are your expectations from the film in India?* One could be knocked down by a bus tomorrow and everything could end in a minute. I only live in the moment and never have any expectations! *Would you like to make your next film in Mumbai as well?* I'd love to! All the time I was making Slumdog…. I saw so many ingredients for making a modern thriller! It's a vibrant place with so much to offer and perhaps the only city in the world which sleeps only between 2 am to 4 am! *One thing you like about Hindi films?* I love the fact that they put the name of the director at a prominent position in a film's credits! http://www.screenindia.com/news/the-new-millionaire/416087/ -- regards, Vithur
