Will 'Slumdog' Be a Blockbuster in India?

Though "Slumdog Millionaire" has yet to arrive in Indian movie theaters, the country's people are proudly embracing the film after it took away four prizes at the Golden Globe awards on Sunday. "The $lumdog Has Its Day," said The Times of India, while the Hindustan Times declared "Indian tale catches global fancy." The Mumbai-based rags-to-riches tale is predicted to dominate the box office when it opens in India on Jan. 23. Though the film is set in India and its characters speak Hindi throughout the picture, "Slumdog" is not an authentic Bollywood film because it had a British director, Hollywood backing and a $14 million budget, notes The Hollywood Reporter. Still, some worry that the film may hit a sour note with the millions who actually live amongst the destitution depicted in the movie. "Indian audiences don't like watching poverty and squalor on screen. They see enough of it in their daily lives," Indian filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar told Reuters.