I saw Slumdog Millionaire for the first time a couple of weeks before it hit the Indian theatres. My wife had managed to get a downloaded copy from her office. As we watched it on our laptop, I was blown away by the first 15 minutes. I said, let's watch this on the big screen, it'd be totally worth it. She argued that the India release was still a long way away, so we continued watching.
Last weekend, we saw it on the big screen the day it hit India. Our schedule allowed us to watch the dubbed version, and we settled for it. It still was pretty good since much of the dialogue is in Hindi anyway.
My frank assessment of the film: it's very good. Rich cinematography, beautifully paced, well directed, well acted. Dev Patel and the kids were fantastic and AR Rahman's score is of the rare kind that lifts the overall quality of a picture. Hans Zimmer's score for The Dark Knight is another example. If anybody deserves an award for Slumdog, Rahman does. Anil Kapoor was a bit loud - in the film and at the Golden Globes. Reports also say he has developed a clipped accent overnight.
There was a matter-of-factness in the narration. It was authoritative story telling, the kind that respects a viewer's time and intelligence. I find that missing from Indian movies, where the emphasis is not on story-telling but on star actors.
But is the film worth the hype? I don't think so. Would I put it on my Films To Watch Before You Die list? No.
Another thing I don't understand is why some Indians choose to rubbish the film as a westerner's take on Indian poverty. The last time I checked, the story was a perfectly Indian one. Danny Boyle's team only made a film out of it, and a pretty good one at that. I'd endorse it whole-heartedly.
Jai Ho!
I looked around for the lyrics to Slumdog Millionaire's soundtrack and I was appalled by the search results. So I asked the wife to help me transcribe the lyrics to Jai Ho. We obviously couldn't understand the bits in the foreign languages so we left them out. Here are the lyrics. If you spot mistakes, please leave a comment. I'll update this with a credit line.
Jai ho! [x4]
Aaja aaja jind-e-shamiyaane ke tale
Aaja zari wale nile aasmaan ke tale
Jai ho [x2]
Aaja aaja jind-e-shamiyaane ke tale
Aaja zari wale nile aasmaan ke tale
Jai ho [x2]
Jai ho [x8]
Ratti ratti sacchi maine jaan gawaai hai
Nach nach koylo pe raat bitaai hai
Akhiyo ki neend maine phookho se uda di
Gin gin taare maine ungli jalaayi hai
Aaja aaja jind-e-shamiyaane ke tale
Aaja zari wale nile aasmaan ke tale
Jai ho [x4]
Jai ho [x8]
Chakh le, haan chakh le
Yeh raat shahad hai
Chakh le
Rakh le
Aa dil hai, dil aakhri hadd hai
Rakh le, kaala kaala kaajal tera
Koi kaala jaadu hai na
Kaala kaala kaajal tera
Koi kaala jaadu hai na
Aaja aaja jind-e-shamiyaane ke tale
Aaja zari wale nile aasmaan ke tale
Jai ho [x2]
Jai ho [x5]
Kab se, haan kab se
Jo lab pe ruki hai
Keh de
Keh de
Haan keh de, ab aankh jhuki hai
Keh de, aisi aisi roshan aankhein
Roshan dono heerein hain kya?
Aaja aaja jind-e-shamiyaane ke tale
Aaja zari wale nile aasmaan ke tale
Jai ho [x8]
In Hindi
जय हो! [x ४]
आजा आजा जिंद-ऐ-शामिआने के तले
आजा ज़री वाले नीले आसमां के तले
जय हो! [x २]
आजा आजा जिंद-ऐ-शामिआने के तले
आजा ज़री वाले नीले आसमां के तले
जय हो! [x 8]
रत्ती रत्ती सच्ची मैंने जान गवाईं है
नच नच कोयलों पे रात बिताई है
अंखियों की नींद मैंने फूकों से उड़ा दी
गिन गिन तारे मैंने उंगलियाँ जलायीं हैं
आजा आजा जिंद-ऐ-शामिआने के तले
आजा ज़री वाले नीले आसमां के तले
जय हो! [x 4]
जय हो! [x 8]
चख ले, हाँ चख ले
यह रात शहद है
चख ले, रख ले
आ दिल है, दिल आखरी हद है
रख ले, काला काला काजल तेरा
कोई काला जादू है ना
काला काला काजल तेरा
कोई काला जादू है ना
आजा आजा जिंद-ऐ-शामिआने के तले
आजा ज़री वाले नीले आसमां के तले
जय हो! [x 2]
जय हो! [x 5]
कब से, हाँ कब से
जो लब पे रुकी है
कह दे, कह दे
हाँ कह दे, अब आँख झुकी है
कह दे, ऐसी ऐसी रोशन आँखें
रोशन दोनों हीरें हैं क्या?
आजा आजा जिंद-ऐ-शामिआने के तले
आजा ज़री वाले नीले आसमां के तले
जय हो! [x 8]
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