India Masala
Bollywood and culture in an emerging India
How “Slumdog Millionaire” got its name
If you are wondering why “Slumdog” and why not “Slumboy”, there’s a story behind how Danny Boyle’s Golden Globe-winning film got its unusual name.
Turns out screenwriter Simon Beaufoy was wandering around the slums of Mumbai researching the film, when he saw cats and dogs apparently asleep in the alleys.
But they weren’t asleep.
Beaufoy, speaking at a news conference in New Delhi, said he was intrigued to notice their eyes — moving, discerning, watching.
“I thought it was a fantastic metaphor – of somebody who’s apparently not worth anything, is actually looking, eyeing everything and knowing everything — just like the boy in the gameshow knows everything.”
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The Wall
