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Danny Boyle tackles 'Slum Dog Millionaire'
Exclusive: The 'Sunshine' helmer tells us all about his next project.
Apr 5 2007
I spoke to the always affable Danny Boyle yesterday for our 'Sunshine' podcast, and when the subject turned to his next film, it seems I had my facts wrong. Rather than making South African-set thriller 'Ponte Tower' (as previously reported), Boyle is about to start work on a very different sort of film, as he himself explained.
'It's called 'Slum Dog Millionaire', it's based on a true story, and it's about a kid from the slums of Mumbai, who has nothing – he's ill educated, he's illiterate – and he goes on the Hindi version of 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' and wins it. And they can't believe that he's done it. They think he's cheated. They think he's getting signals from embedded chips in his body, or that there are people coughing in the audience, but he won it.
'What's clever about the film is that the structure shows you how he knows the answers. Certain things have happened to him in his life and they happen to ask questions about those things. But the real reason he's on the show is to get in touch with the girl he loves but has lost in the chaos of Mumbai, and all he knows is that she watches the show religiously. So he's not even there to win the money, but that's when you win I suppose, when you're not even trying.'
Simon Beaufoy ('The Full Monty') has written the script, with filming set to start on location in Mumbai soon. And as for 'Ponte Tower', that film is still very much on Boyle's horizon, with Michael Thomas currently working on the script.
User comments on this story
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- Sammi said...
- Birdy - wake up! You want 'warm&fuzzy', go watch Marley&Me. Posted on Feb 21 2009 22:56
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- Sammi said...
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i love the way this movie has created so many mixed opinions about it. Though not everybody likes it, it's better than these one-dimensional flicks that have a predictable story line. The character demonstrates that sometimes life experience is a more valuable lesson than any other. I don't see him as a thief but someone living a desperate existence with what he had - he managed to break free from that life.
To think that all of India is a dirty place and that the movie represents all citizens, is a bit naive. I don't walk out of every movie as if it were a history lesson - i just take away the moral & underlying meaning of the story. That's all movies are - entertainment. Posted on Feb 21 2009 22:53 - Report as inappropriate
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- birdy said...
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this was not a warm and fuzzy movie. There was nothing but violence and disgusting scenes. I do not know what people see in this NOT entertaining film. I got up and walked out with my friend after 30 min too long sitting waiting for something nice to see happen it did not ever happen.
What a big waste of my time money and film.
shame on who ever made this. and in my opnion, it was not worthy of any awards much less an oscar. It was worthy of a dog prize maybe. whata lousy film i want my money back!!! Posted on Feb 21 2009 22:13 - Report as inappropriate
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- MOMMA OF 5 said...
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THIS TO ME WAS A TOTAL SLEEPER. MY HUSBAND KNEW THAT i WAS BORED BY THE FACT I KEPT LOOKING AT MY WATCH.
PEOPLE WHO ARE THIEVES, AND HAVE NO GOALS IN LIFE CAN CAPTURE THE ATTENTION OF A COUNTRY? WHAT A FANTASY! Posted on Feb 21 2009 19:36 - Report as inappropriate
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- Yashi said...
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I totally agree with all the points clarified by Hemant asnd the whole movie just potrays how poor, messy any backward India is and they have been doing this for ages. look at the BBC program when they show mumbai, you must had a chance to watch Paul Merton's program on india on ITV - disgusting.
Never mind, the point i would like to make here is this movie wouldn't be even nominated for Oscar had it been made by indian film industry and indian producer. I don't find anything great in this moveiw other than an opportunity for these Britishers to show India small. Posted on Feb 21 2009 18:20 - Report as inappropriate
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- HEMANT said...
- to Sammi, thanks, i really agree with you, my only concern is why the damn oscar, and so much praise whereas its just like any other normal commercial movie, with a hyped up story. If this can win an award then lot many indian movie stand a much better chance. Posted on Feb 21 2009 16:24
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- Sammi said...
- in repsonse to "Hemant" - what did you want to see? A full documentary on every aspect of Life In India - This is a snapshot of One boy's life not a representation of every person there. On that note, the movie "Once Were Warriors" only represents a slice of New Zealand. I have family there and I know that they're not all like that - it is a telling of One story yet again. Posted on Feb 20 2009 20:38
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- Sammi said...
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O boohoo it's outsourced/low budget - y don't we all watch a glittery, over-the-top, special effects, typical & predictable American movie with MovieSTARsss. What a waste of money. IT's REFRESHING TO FINALLLLY WATCH A MOVIE THAT STRIKES A NERVE FOR A CHANGE - & it didn't need a big budget to do it either.
People - your expectations are being manipulated by the glitz+glam of LA Land. Posted on Feb 20 2009 20:26 - Report as inappropriate
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- SO WHAT? said...
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SO WHAT IF THE POST PRODUCTION WAS OUTSOURCED TO INDIA, MONGREL?
THIS IS A LOW BUDGE MOVIE.
SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN. NO WONDER WITH WHINERS LIKE YOU, MILLIONS OF JOBS ARE BEING OUTSOURCED. NOBODY LIKE A WHIMP! (OR CHIMP!)
FOOL. DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR THERAPIST IF YOU CAN AFFORD ONE. IF NOT, I CAN RECOMMEND ONE FROM INDIA WHO CAN CHARGE YOUR LESS TO SHRINK YOU HEAD. Posted on Feb 20 2009 17:59 - Report as inappropriate
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- Mogle said...
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The post production was ALL outsourced to India !
Graphics.... special effects .. all done by a low budget production crew. Posted on Feb 20 2009 11:09 - Report as inappropriate
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- Roy said...
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Mogle: Boycotting the movie is fine.
But just didn't get the whole outsourcing thing with the movie.
The picture was produced by D. Boyle - in UK . The subject was tied to India. So, who has outsourced what in the movie ? Posted on Feb 19 2009 20:44 - Report as inappropriate
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- Mogle said...
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DO NOT SEE THIS FILM !!!!
It ANOTHER reason why we have lost JOBS here in the U.S.
This picture was outsourced for cheap labor and not just the actors .. pre-production, post production .... catering ... casting couch.... all PART OF THE PROBLEM ... HELLO !! If you care at all about what is happening to the downfall of our ECONOMY .... BOYCOTT BOYCOTT BOYCOTT !!!!! Posted on Feb 19 2009 19:08 - Report as inappropriate
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- Roy said...
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Shama Hussain: Thank you for your deep insight. Next time around please use a spell check and grammar check before posting. For instance, one should not use 'the' to address a country and so on.
Further I thank you for exposing ignorance. You are truly blessed, to be able to simply generalize the entire country India as an imposter based on Satyam's fraud of 1 Billion USD. But, it is through our ignorance that we are still unable generalize the same to US based on Madoff's 50 Billion dollar scam, Dick Fuld's 0.5 Billion dollar scam and so on.
I am sure Barack and Larry Summers can take your suggestion in determining the right outsourcing destination for US work. Thank you for your insight, and may God Bless You. Posted on Feb 16 2009 16:45 - Report as inappropriate
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- salina said...
- why r u people so obssed with the american and british were talking about the movie not india and britan and stuff like that in my point of veiw i think it was a very touching movie its not an normal movie whivh will be forgotten in a year ya but there r some weird things like from where did they start speaking eng. realty shows r not live and stuff like that but overall i think it was great i would rate it 4 on 5 . Posted on Feb 15 2009 13:26
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- Rayne said...
- I totally agree with Anju.. finally someone speaks with some level of intelligence on this blog. Posted on Feb 12 2009 10:33
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