Music for Film by Alexandra Lederman

Before The Oscars Invaded The Slumdogs

Now that the Academy Awards infiltrated the low budget films from abroad, all of America is obsessed with Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire (2008).  It is not that this film is bad (well there are a few things that bother me) but American society will only enjoy a ‘different’ or a ‘non-Hollywood blockbuster’ film if they are told to like it.

The film is an incredible piece of work few reasons, but I’ll begin with my dislikes.  The film intertwined a love story in order to reach out to the mainstream audience, I would have preferred the film to focus on the dark, brutal lifestyle of the slums in Mumbai, India.  American films are notorious for the main characters winning in every situation – which is not the case in real life.  The rest of the film that did revolve around the horrible conditions of living in the slums was magnificent.  I know it is dark, but the visions of Jamal’s past is why the film is incredible. Not only were the actors incredible, but the music personified the characters states of emotions.

The music stayed true to it’s traditional roots of Carnatic while representing modern day Mumbai.  The music exemplified the characters emotions to the fullest during the scenes when the audience journeys back to Jamal’s childhood and the horrors he experienced.  Every time the children were running away from the evils of human society, my heart rate raised, my breathing became short and shallow and I felt the same relief, sorrow and uncertainty of the future the characters were experiencing.

Slumdog Millionaire deserves each and every nomination and award it has won from various film festivals.  This list is quite long so I will contain it to the awards the film has won. 8 Oscars went to Slumdog, three of these Oscars went to the musician ship in the film.  The Sound Editors of the film received many awards from across the globe, but the man behind the Original Score has made his mark in the world of music.  A.R. Rahman received Oscars for ‘Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score’ and ‘Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song’; a BAFTA Film Award for ‘Best Music’; a Black Reel Award for ‘Best Soundtrack’; a Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards for ‘Critics Choice Award-Best Composer’; a Golden Globe for ‘Best Original Score-Motion Picture’; a San Diego Film Critics Society Awards for ‘Best Score’; and a Satellite Awards for ‘Best Original Score’. 

A.R. Rahman was born in Madras (now Chennai), India, to a musically affluent family.  His music is known for its classical southern Indian influence.  The music from southern Indian is called Carnatic- one of two classical genres from India.  As the film was coming to an end, I was not feeling the love and joy Jamal and Latika were expressing.  Instead, I was wondering if the film would stay true to the Indian roots and end with a Bollywood dance sequence.  And oh boy did it!  I was oh so pleased to see the entire cast dance it up in the train station.  I seriously could not have been happier.  Honestly, Indian music plus Bollywood dancing makes my day, each and every day- so thank you Slumdog for leaving the audience with that- I needed a little pick me up after experiencing the Mumbai Slums.

Alexandra Lederman
Film Music Report Writer