Slumdog Millionaire

Based on the novel Q&A, this sharp adaptation tells the tale of a young man, Jamal Palik (Dev Patel), who becomes a contestant on the Indian version of the hit game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and ends up being accused of cheating. As we see him beaten into admitting that he “knew” the answers, the film darts back and forth in time to show how he came to this place and exactly where the truth lies. We see how Jamal and his brother Salim (Madhur Mittal), joined by their female friend Latika (Freida Pinto), grow up in one of country’s worst slums, where they must resort to a spree of petty crimes in order to survive. Later, we catch up with them in their teens, as they conduct tours of the Taj Mahal and make up tall tales for the unsuspecting visitors. Out of desperation their crimes get more intense, as Latika gets herself into big trouble. By the time we get to Jamal’s appearance on the game show, it’s clear he has learned what really counts, as the tension-driven sequences has him answering questions at a furious pace by the dubious quizmaster (Anil Kapoor).