Poverty in the third world - SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

I must admit that prior to seeing that movie, I had idealized India from participating in retreats, intensives, and from meeting Gurumayi, Karunamayi, Ammachi, Mother Meera, Gurunath, Ganapati, and others as they toured to Southern California and from attending various religious events. I well know the spirituality and warmth of its people... I would still like to visit India... Yet if I do so, I will be forewarned that it is not all sweetness and light and that the poverty is at times as oppressive. My friend who was there for quite awhile in the TM movement has told me stories of what happened to him there after he saw the movie with me... He still loves the place and its people... It seems that there is indeed something about that Country which gets under your skin and stays there... and a cord that forms tying your heart to the hearts of its people as they are, for the most part, sweet. I understand your feelings.

Thank you for sharing such a raw feelings. I too cried so much when watching that film. It truly was very sad and it took me along time to get over. I was born and bred int he UK Whiteheron, and have been living in India now for 11 years. And I would like to add that although there are such sad things here there are so many incredible things here too, ones that have struck such a deep chord with my heart that I can not leave this country now. The people on mass are very kind, pure and God fearing. Bad people exist everywhere, here they are in the open to see. But overall I love this place for her spirituality and simpleness. It takes along time to understand this country, a very longtime, but after awhile, once you get below the surface the awesome beauty here is just unforgettable. Slumdog was not able to portray much of this side due to time constraints etc, but in the future I hope to bring some of these endearing facets out on mylot, to share with my friends the beauty that I see here. I hope you will bless me with your presence. Sometimes a place in someones heart goes alot further than money. India is growing very strong now, much corruption is being eradicated, things are fast improving, people even believe that by 2020 she will be a world superpower! For every dastardly thing that happens here, 1000's of divine things happen here too, honestly which is why I can't leave this place. Thank you so much for sharing your sensitivity here, I hope other sensitive people will head your words before choosing to see the film. Angelie

Lovely to hear that you have met so many of these Saints. I received Shaktipat from Gurumayi's Guru....Baba Muktananda.....and my father from his Guru....Baba Nityananda. I am very much attached to Amachi. I hope you will visit India soon, do you have any idea which places you would like to see especially? Angelie

Hi there Opal! Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and blessings. Yes it truely was a Miracle indeed. Has made us all so happy, joy is back in the air. It hardly goes on now, it's been mostly eradicated. Thank you again for your sweetness and best wishes, it is so humbling to receive your love, I am sure that things will improve very soon, already much is improving and the old ways diminishing. In ten years this country will be in a very different place. Please be careful when watching this film, it is hard to stomach in places, especially the beginning but things to cheer up abit. Its a powerful movie and can rip the heart in places, so prepare yourself as some of the things are quite gruesome. But the spirit in this country is very strong, the people are very resilient and enthusiastic and much change has happened and is already happening. Not before long she will be a great country to live in. She already is for me (I moved from the UK) she has many incredibly beautiful aspects her to her too, which override all the negative. Just remember that when you watch the film as it doesn't portray so much of India as there is only a few hours. I will write more up about this of India very soon, please keep a look out I am sure you will enjoy it.....Angelie

I remember in one of the story's told in CNN.the boy's(child actor inte movie) Mom was offered a rental house but she refused because she prefer a real house not some house for rent..which is right, they should be offered money and a Real HOME@

Dearest Tamara, please don't despair. You are a very soft hearted person and I am so glad that I have met you. Sometimes affection and a place in someone's heart is all it takes. The fact that you feel the plight and your heart is filled with compassion is more than enough. There are a million great things about this country that can not be seen in the West, which is why I moved here from the UK. This country is very difficult to describe, it is truly a remarkable place. For every terrible thing, there a 10,000 great things. The people here on mass are very sensitive, resilient and extremely hard working souls. They have a great open heart and lots of faith in the Almighty, this is what gets them through the most treacherous of circumstances. Much has improved here since I have been here, but it is a huge country and things will take alittle time, so somewhere people ARE hearing the voices in the wilderness. I am sure within ten years or so, much of it will be face lifted, development is happening really fast here now. It's the fastest developing nation in the world! Many believe that by 2020 she will be a World Superpower....honestly....so things are very much looking up and days of celebration are ahead. Perhaps it's not a good film for you to watch Tamara as you may find it too upsetting, and the film does not have the opportunity to portray all the magnificent things about this country due to time constraints, so you may be left with a very lopsided view. In the near future I intend to put up some threads showing the beauty of this beautiful country. I hope you will join me in those. It was once known as the Crown Jewel of the Empire for it's riches, but politics destroyed her. But the people here are tough and very brave hearted and they are resurfacing and for many it is still a Jewel of this planet, you just have to hold her up in the right light. Rest assured Tamara.

Yes the opening scene....the first half had my hair standing on end. So much passion and vitality is portrayed. Those kid were just awesome, never seen anything like it. You know many Indians don't like it.....why???

Many Indians don't like it!! well you know me & all my friends Loved the movie. I never heard a negative response for the movie. Infact all the newspapers gave a four star to the movie. I wonder from where did you get this piece of info!

maybe because some of the child actors didn't really benefit from the movie as if they were used or something. i remember when CNN reported the child portraying the leading actor as a child, being reported as being thrown out of their houses, i didn't believe it until CNN interviewed the boy... but inspite of the controversy..The Movie became great and even inspired some of my friends here...to save..

Don't worry Letron the boy is doing fine. Infact the film people have set up a huge fund raising campaign for all the slums in Mumbai. With all the world wide attention the film gave, the slums will not last long now hopefully. I don't know what exactly happened to the boy, but have seen him on so many shows worldwide, with all that publicity he is sure to do fine as he has much support...what a cute kid hey? Beautiful! Every time I see him he looks like he is having a great time. Sometimes things take alittle time to change, they can't happen overnight in big countries like India. Are there slums in your country too? You said there was a problem in the scenes...could you elaborate abit more? (By the way your English is much more comprehensible today, I'm getting used to it abit and sometimes you write so clearly than other days!)

it's not the movie. it's the "kid" in the movie. the scenes were all inspirational.im glad for the boy..

Thank you Tintukm, I am glad you liked it. It was an awesome movie indeed. So you liked the boys...I preferred them when they were young, when they got older they were played by actors and they lost their magic for me. What about you, did you prefer them when they were young or when they got older or both? Talk to you soon!

SLUM DOG MILLIONAIRE was an movie with characters who played really well when they were both as young and old.The movie couldn't have replaced them ,we all have our own preferences,young movie characters surely are cute,loving,and so touching when they act,upon getting older in the character everyone act according to their known talent and not actually by the director and the director can portray any act by a small child that shows difference which has always being the case with movies and specially this one.

Thank you deepak. I hope you are well. I'm gald you thought it to be an awesome film, it was. It may not have been perfect, but it was very raw. I wonder if you have seen any other films by that same Director Danny Boyle? He is a good man, i saw an earlier film of his called "A Million" it is set in the UK amongst the working class and Danny's pure heart can be seen well int his film. He is a very good hearted man indeed. My only fear is that if our Western brothers and sisters from Mylot see this film they may think India is all bad, which of course as you know isn't the case at all. For every bad thing here, there are a 1000 miracles. I love my India....as they say. Overall she is the best country for me!

Hello Sri! I am doing fine, with friends like you around me.. I have not had any occasion to see Director Danny's any other film. He appears to me a very gentle person and a near perfect Director (now he has won may Oscars, his rank would have gone high now).You are right, if our India has some negative points, it has some wonderful positive points, which no other country in the world would have. We (including me) love our motherland India very much and we owe everything to our motherland. Deepak

Hi there LittleMel, well I've been warning everyone, to be careful when you watch this film as there are scenes which are highly unpleasant especially because they involve children, which can be disturbing. The over all mood of the film is great and inspirational, but the it is a bit heavy going for the sensitive and especially if your unaware of how things can sometimes be in India. So be careful and remember not all is terrible here, there are many exquisite things in India too which is not portrayed int he film due to time constraints. All the best Angelie

oops answered in response to your earlier post but it somehow posted down here... blew that somehow... sorry.

Hello Angelie. I apologize for not remembering your name. The movie sounds so special. Always, even amongst the impoverished and dire events, there can somehow, somewhere, be found hope or a blessing. I will bear in mind your advice as I watch the movie. Karen

Dear Karen, Please call me Angelie. Please be careful when you watch this film, it can be very distressing in places...but so can life all over the world, but just in different ways. It's tough in places to stomach and sensitive souls need to be forewarned. But there is something magical to it indeed, a magical spirit which is so rightly captured in it. There are soo many good things about this country which can not be portrayed in this film due to time constraints etc, but there is so much positivity in the people here, so much faith, so much humility, so much sensitivity, they are so religious, there is so much joy here, so much vibrancy in the people, which is why I can't leave....I want you to remember this when you watch the film. For every horrible thing here there are a 1000 good things, as low as it goes, the highs are ten times higher. God bless.....Angelie

Bless you Meapas. Thank you so much for your compliments and vote of confidence. I too am a fan, of you and everyone else I know, as the people I meet are all walking glories of God. God bless Angelie

Hi there Bluesinjid! Yes it was a wonderful movie, the spirit of it was magnificent. The memory bit was just fabulous wasn't it! Just goes to show how important life experience can be over education! Am so glad that you enjoyed the movie! Yes Danny Boyle is a great Director. Have you seen his film "A million" it's before Slumdog, set in the UK amongst the working class of the North. Another great feel to it. Me too I would love more Hollywood/Bollywood movies to come out, fingers crossed hey?

Yes thats was just such an awesome track! When I first heard int he cinema I had goose bumps all over me. Brilliant track. yes thank you for bringing that point forward about the girl being accepted ven though she had a controversial past. In love nothing is seen accept love. Where did you see the film?