Now Slumdog country also gets awards

['Jai ho' set to be millionth English word Times of India - NEW DELHI: 'Jai ho', 'cuddies' and 'slumdog' are among the 73 other finalists from across the globe to become the millionth English word. ..."Slumdog Millionaire" terms compete to be millionth English word Xinhua Jai Ho!, Slumdog, Chaddies*: The 1000000th Word In English? Outlook Chaddie wants to be English Daily News & Analysis Indian Express - Calcutta Telegraph all 27 news articles » Slumdog `insult' upsets award-winning film-maker Bharati Dubey tnn Times of India - ‎Jun 4, 2009‎

Slumdog `insult' upsets award-winning film-maker
5 Jun 2009, 0218 hrs IST, Bharati Dubey, TNN MUMBAI: Does the West think of India as Slumdog rather than Millionaire? Indian director Sanjay Chauhan, whose film Lahore won the jury award for best feature film at the 42nd WorldFest International Film Festival in Houston, had a bitter experience at the awards function.

"When my name was announced, a producer of the film Bitter Sweet, who was sitting at the same table, remarked `Now Slumdog country also gets awards'. I was stunned but had to go on stage to collect my award,'' said Chauhan. Now back in India, Chauhan has still to come to terms with the insult.

"Slumdog Millionaire is only damaging our image in the West. People who have not seen the country only believe what's depicted in the movie-poverty and slums. I think the remark was not ignorance but an insult. They think we're a country full of garbage,'' he fumed. Chauhan said the British producer was not the only one who had that impression about India. "Some members from my crew who happened to be Americans felt the same way before they came to India,'' he said.

Jun 07, 2009 04:52 PM
A news report says that the word 'slumdog' is being ceremonially included in the English language. This is an insult to those millions of men, women, and children whose homes are situated within urban slums. In a creative medium like a film, the word can be pardoned, but to label a section of human beings as dogs is not the sign of a civilized society. Interestingly, the insult is not directed to the residents of the slums alone, the stigma also applies to ‘snobdogs’ who come there with begging bowls for their votes.

A civil society for which “inclusiveness” is the watch word, honouring the epithet ‘slumdog’ is in utter bad taste. The sooner it is given a ceremonial burial the better.

“Slumdog Millionaire” the Oscar winning movie has indeed paid great attribute to Indian society. But portraying a mass public as ‘Dogs of Slum’ is an attack on the pious idea of humanity. The controversial word Slumdog which equates human being with animals is violative of fundamental rights as enumerated in constitution of India and Charter of United Nation which can’t be welcomed in countries like India where about one fourth of population lives in Slums.

Kartavyabodha an NGO, chaired by Mr.Shant Prakash emphatically treat the word as against the humanity, dignity of individual and the principle of natural justice. Thus, recognizing the word Slumdog by putting it in English dictionary as millionth word would be an attempt to kill humanity and must be omitted at earliest.
Shant Prakash
Ghaziabad, India

Shant Prakash: Protest against the movie " slumdog Millionaire - Shant Prakash. Member National Executive, Bhartiya Janta Party, Scheduled Caste ... Posted by Shant Prakash at 8:26 PM. Labels: protest against ' slumdog ...