Slumdog
Millionaire, a Vikas Swarup’s novel; is the story of Ram Mohammed Thomas, a
nineteen year old orphan from the slums of India. Written in 2005, under the
name Q & A, the novel rapidly became popular, and in 2009 was made into a
movie and became a big blockbuster hit in the box office. Not only did it
become a commercial success but went on to win accolades from the critics by
winning numerous awards at the BAFTA and Oscars.
The
novel opens with Ram as a millionaire, having won the prize money in a game
show, and he is also shown in jail, because the producers charged him with
fraud. They do not understand how a poor uneducated boy knows the answers to
all the game shows general knowledge questions. As a lawyer comes to the
orphan’s assistance, Swarup unfolds Ram’s tale in first person, told in short
stories. As a plot device, this works very well. The chapters are not in chronological
order and the first-person narrative weaves back and forth, as each chapter
unfolds. Ram explains how various these events in his life, provide a key to
the shows twelve questions.
Through
these recounts, Swarup cleverly shows the reader snapshots of the extreme
poverty which exists in India’s society. This is shown through this quote by
Ram, “the sight of all this opulence makes me uneasy…seeing rich college boys
spending money like paper…the contrast with my own imperfect life pinches me
with the force of physical hurt.” I believe this quote shows the way we take
our lives for granted, compared to the poverty Ram is dealing with. For me,
this meaning gives the book a three-dimensional aspect, making it feel more
realistic.
The
story also depicts the child labour endemic which exists in third world
countries. It is extremely moving to see young kids with a lot of dreams not
able to fulfil them because of poverty and made to work for to put food on the
table for the whole family. These children do not go to school to be educated get
into the vicious circle of poverty and are drawn towards crime to survive.
With
memories unfolded of rape, murder and robberies, this boy’s story becomes quite
an emotional one.
The
themes presented in the book are corruption, perseverance, courage, violence,
and the ability to achieve anything no matter where you come from. Mostly the
book is about the troubled life Ram Mohammed Thomas lived and how he comes to
where he is in the present.
Vikas
also entwines Romance into the story between Ram and Lalita, the heroine of the
novel. The love story is an interesting sub plot that gives Slumdog Millionaire
another dimension.
Over
all, the entire book is about the fight between good conquering evil. Perfect
for any age, Vikas Swarup takes the reader on a picaresque ride through the
underbelly of urban India where evil hides in the most ordinary places.
Rating:
3.5/5
Trailer:
Slumdog Millionaire Movie Trailer:
Although different from the novel, it can give an idea of the rough story line of the original book.
Swatika Suresh
