Thursday, March 19, 2009

The magic of Slumdog - still strong

Hey ppl... I am back again with my usual banter about SlumDog Millionaire. I had tried really hard to suppress all my negative feelings, being a realist, that there must be something really 'attractive' about this movie, else why would it win so many Oscars. Then a new development came into my notice just today. Apparently, the all-girl 'groupie' Pussycat Dolls were so inspired by the spiritual connection they shared with the movie and it's score that t hey decided to do an Americanized version of the same. The lyrics are posted at the end...

Also watch the video of the PCD version on YouTube.

The phrase “Jai Ho” means victory. What do you think the Pussycat Dolls could be celebrating in this video? This movie has been the darling of the Western critics and moviegoers alike and labelling it as the feel-good film of the year Danny has marketed it very well. After the Oscar winning spree, Jai Ho has been growing in popularity among the Western audience - why not cash in on the fame? Big movie, big song, big remix.

I still remember the day I first watched this movie before all the hype. I liked it immensely, and really thought about the interesting perspective it ws able to portray. Never did I expect the movie to sweep the Oscars clean. What I termed as a mildly interesting movie turned out to be a big Oscar-churner, with getting 10 nominations and winning 8 of those, also winning a host of other awards and wowing audiences at film festivals the world over! I was so in doubt of our taste in movies that I saw the entire movie all over again!! In vain..

Was this movie so pathbreakingly "amazing" that Pussycat Dolls wanna "JAI HO" instead of their usual "purr n meow" and that people are taking Frieda Pinto so seriously that she may become 007's armband? Becoming a Bond Girl is a legendary honor!! And it goes to an actor with as much experience and charisma as a chimp doing backflips on the Moon?

I quote a PCD fan directly - "I love it! The original is beautiful, but with this English translation, I can finally get the literal meaning of the song." Does the song really portray what the PCD have implied in their video and lyrics. Nay...

Simply put, as a fellow blogger rightly puts it ""Third World Country image dood...it ALWAYS sells.." Guess for me theres nothing more to do about it other than venting it out here and hope that I played my part right.

But you gotta hand it to all those pussy's; they cashed in really well... Jai Ho America.
The Pussycat Dolls - "Jai Ho" (Official FULL Music Video) ft AR Raham - HQ Wide Screen 2009. Watch it at YouTube.

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