Slumdog Millionaire: India's Social Classes and Love of Money

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Slumdog Millionaire is an action-laced film, which describes one, indian orphan’s journey to seek his lost love and win India’s version of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’. Jamal Malik and his brother Salim grew up in the slums of Mumbai. After their mother was killed, Jamal and Salim met Latika. Throughout many journeys and hardships, Jamal becomes separated from the two people remaining in his life. Director Danny Boyle effectively demonstrates the dissention between the Indian social classes throughout the injustices bore against the people, the fight for economic gains, and Jamal’s indifference to the money earned in ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’.

Throughout the film, the upper-class police and gang-members’ infringement upon the impoverished classes becomes increasingly prevalent. When exploring Jamal Malik’s childhood, viewers encounter graphic and stunning realities of life in the Mumbai slums. As the riots between the Hindi and the Muslims break out, police neglect to respond to a man aflame before their eyes. The policemen’s inaction within a crisis sears the hearts of the viewers with the discrimination of India’s social structure. Additionally, the police officers commit heinous offences toward the hero, Jamal, when questioning him. They torture him various ways, such as electric currents, waterboarding, etc. because, “What the hell can a slumdog possibly know?” (Slumdog Millionaire). Boyle effectively includes the disdainful prejudices exhibited against the lower class. Boyle also, includes scenes where both the inhabitants and police are subject to the corruption of the gangsters. Multiple times throughout the film, the gangsters possess the hearts minds and souls of the characters. Inhabitants and henc...

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...million rupees, Jamal goes to the train station and waits, solemnly and hopefully for Latika to arrive, focusing solely on her rather than the money he just acquired. Jamal’s and devotion to Latika emphasizes his indifference to money and effectively conveys a Marxist perspective. Boyle utilizes Jamal's participation in ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ to diminish his viewers’ dedication to money.

Boyle demonstrates throughout Slumdog Millionaire the injustices on India’s corrupt social structure and capitalistic struggles. He emphasizes how the rich oppress the poor and, the poor possess no opportunity to succeed. Boyle also utilizes Jamal’s indifference to money to share the same ideals within his viewers. Boyle’s intertwines the evils of social classes and dangers of money within a gripping story to effectively share a Marxist perspective with his viewers.

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