Abstract:
The 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire captured western audiences as a perceived celebration of Indian culture and spirit, and consequently brought global attention to India. Much of the existing discourse on Slumdog Millionaire highlights the film’s inaccuracies and unfair representation of India, yet largely fails to delve further into how elements of the film are manifestations of a larger social problem. By moving the conversation of Slumdog Millionaire beyond the immediate scope of the film, my research analyzes the larger historical and social context of the film to argue that it is a contemporary example of an imperial voice representing another nation. Elements of the film’s production and narrative can be criticized for reflecting and reinforcing a western imperialist worldview, including the film’s promotion of western capitalist values, portrayal of poverty, and marginalization of women. Through this reading, the film can be discussed in terms of its wider ideological ramifications.
