Another big winner is India and Bollywood. Even though it produces more movies and more viewers than Hollywood, it was never recognized. Yes  – I agree that many movies made in India are not Oscar material but there were many that has never got a nomination. AR Rahman’s talents got a big recognition when he bagged both the musical categories viz, the original score and the original song. Razul Pookutti got one for sound mixing. Above all the Slumdog Millionaire grabbed the coveted best director and the best film awards. Megan Mylan’s Smile Pinki fetches the Oscar for the Best Short Documentary. No wonder some say “Earth is flatter”.

Kate Winslet received her deserving best actress award for her role in the “The Reader”.  She got six nominations but this is her first Oscar. It is surprising that Kate did not win the best actress award for her role in Titanic even though she was nominated. I had a feeling that she may loose it this time too and Meryl Streep may win with her performance in “Doubt”. That is why Kate said “For you Meryl, you have to suck up to that”.  Keith Ledger was honored posthumously with his supporting actor role in Dark Knight. Sean Penn’s win of best actor is expected. Kate’s and Sean’s win will again start that usual question “Is it easier to win Oscar with a Holocaust or a Gay themed movie ?”.

Most other categories I cared was as expected except for the visual effects. I never thought the “Curious case of Benjamin Button” will win. My favorite for that category was the Dark Knight. But I have been wrong before too.

A artwork becomes great when the artist puts in a lot detail in the background. Artwork with plain canvas is not amazing. The same way a movie becomes great when there is a lot of vibrant background. A story without a colorful background is not Oscar material. That is the same reason the ‘Gone with the Wind’ is a great book. It takes us through the civil war era with a simple love story. Similarly with a simple story, Slumdog shows the environment an orphan kid has to go through in India. It made me remember another great movie “Life is Beautiful” by Roberto Benigni.

I understand that many Indians in India did not like that movie and personally I also did not like the “too real”, “too cruel” aspects of some of the scenes. But many of those are very much possible in India. I still remember those days when my parents used to warn me about “strangers catching kids, cutting their hands and making them beg”. But unfortunately no one discusses about that in public. That is the Indian culture… Don’t discuss about anything which is uncomfortable to discuss.

I recommend everyone to watch that movie and many times even the funny scenes cannot make you laugh. But the director has sketched the real life in the slums through the stories of two ophan kids.