Thank You Danny Boyle

...for basing Slumdog Millionaire in India and not somewhere in Africa. Your film has given India a new brand image and Bollywood to the global central stage. Everyone knows it is not an Indian film, but you have touched so many Indian myths in a way no Indian ever could. And with just one film, Indian artists bagged more Oscar awards than they could manage in several decades. Lagaan came close, but as you said in your film, Everything is Written.

'India is now the centre of the world and I am now at the centre of the centre' – I don't know who put that dialogue in Salim's mouth. With the film, it really has happened.

I wonder if you really have a golden tongue, Midas touch or something extra ordinary. Why else should India be in the focus of the world because of an English film? Why else should A R Rehman's better creations don't make it to anywhere near the Oscars while a mediocre number win two of the most coveted awards of the world? How else could Rubina Ali fly to America?

Although some fools have assumed it is India's culture or something making it to the world's centre stage, no one can deny your one film has given brand India a new lease of life. Call centre operators pretending to be from somewhere in London or Los Angeles is no new news. The poverty, child abuse, and gangland are always there. The celebration of any victory is not new here. However, no one has ever seen a dream working out the way Slumdog Millionaire did.

I really wonder if the story within the film or the story of the film is more captivating. They two merge so seamlessly that it is really hard to separate the dream run of Jamal in the film and of the film in the world.

Sorry Mr Boyle, I originally intended to bash you for showing the most disgusting and disturbing sights. I also intended to bash you for selling dreams too good to be true. You have already proved the dreams of slums to world's centre stage can be true for Rubina, Azharuddin, and a few others. Everything is written – I take a bow!

Stop Attacking Girls & Women, Now!

Since Mangalore pub incident, it is getting increasingly disturbing to read about the unholy practices of distorted Hindu activists – Sri Ram Sena to be precise. The different attacks against women at public places are an insult to the constitution of India. They are attacks on personal freedom and liberty.


They are attempts to control women in the name of history, culture and religion. Only Taliban did it. Hindus never did it and the hooligans distorting Hinduism this way should be dealt with strongly and brought to before law.

These attackers are not defenders of culture, but only a bunch of distorted fanatics driven by several motives including jealousy – jealousy of not being able to form meaningful social relationships.

Any attempts to curb personal freedom must be met with strong arms. As we have seen, no government is there to protect the people. The evidence is Nov 26, Mumbai. Here too, the onus is on the general population to come together and to deal with the issues as it should be.

Young men should unite in the name of personal freedom. You can't let anybody take away your freedom in the name of religion or culture.

Nowhere in the world, except maybe for Taliban have I seen anything like glorifying attacks against women. However, today in India, a bunch of distorts are more than ready to attack women – that too in the name of Ram and Culture.

If they are defending a culture, it is not India's. I have read hundreds of stories from Hindu epics. Nowhere have I seen anything like anybody attacking women.

Even Ravana didn't touch Sita, even though he has captured her. Bhasmasur didn't attack Mohini. Wherever women are attacked, it was disaster for the attackers and their nation. If India's custom has been to respect women, how come these hooligans attack helpless women and claim it as an act of defending your culture.

Hey hooligans – by attacking the helpless young women, you bring shame to Ram, Hinduism and India.

links:

15 YO school girl commits suicide

Chief of Sri Ram Sena, Mr Muthalik is all set to receive truckloads of pink panties on Valentine's day and the collection center has to be shut down because of influx of 19,000 panties for Sri Ram Sene in one day.

Mangalore refuses to forgive Sri Ram Sena