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{{Use British English|date=June 2012}}{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2012}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Slumdog Millionaire
| image          = Slumdog millionaire ver2.jpg{{!}}border
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Danny Boyle]] 
| co-director       = [[Loveleen Tandan]]
| producer       = [[Christian Colson]]
| screenplay     = [[Simon Beaufoy]]
| based on       = {{Based on|''[[Q & A (novel)|Q & A]]''|[[Vikas Swarup]]}}
| starring       = [[Dev Patel]]<br/>[[Freida Pinto]]<br/>[[Madhur Mittal]]<br/>[[Anil Kapoor]]<br/>[[Irrfan Khan]]
| music          = [[A.R. Rahman]]
| cinematography = [[Anthony Dod Mantle]]
| editing        = [[Chris Dickens]]
| studio         = [[Celador|Celador Films]]<br/>[[Film4 Productions]]
| distributor    = [[Pathé]]<br/>[[Eros Entertainment]]
| released       = {{Film date|df=y|2008|08|30|[[Telluride Film Festival]]|2009|01|09|United Kingdom|2009|01|23|India|ref3=<ref name=sdm>{{cite web|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/moviemicro/cast/id/62947|title=Slumdog Millionaire - Cast and Crew|publisher=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|accessdate=13 May 2014}}</ref>}}
| runtime        = 120 minutes
| country        = United Kingdom<ref>{{cite web|title=Slumdog Millionaire (2008)|url=http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/uk-ireland/features/slumdog-millionaire/4040676.article|publisher=''[[Screen International]]''|date=6 September 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Slumdog Millionaire (2008)|url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b8c7d9ca6|publisher=[[British Film Institute]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/jan/09/slumdog-millionaire-review-danny-boyle|title=Slumdog Millionaire|publisher=''[[The Guardian]]''}}</ref><br>India<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indianfilmtrade.com/services/filmdatabase/movie_detail.php?film_id=9046|title=Slumdog Millionaire at Indian Film Trade|publisher=Indian Film Trade|accessdate=23 June,2014}}</ref>
| language       = English<br/>Hindi<ref name=sdm/>
| budget         = $15 million<ref name="mojototal"/>
| gross          = $377,910,544<ref name="mojototal"/>
}}
'''''Slumdog Millionaire'''''  is a 2008 [[British Indian]] [[drama film]] directed by [[Danny Boyle]], written by [[Simon Beaufoy]], and co-directed in [[India]] by [[Loveleen Tandan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avclub.com/content/interview/danny_boyle |title=Danny Boyle interview |author=Tasha Robinson |date=26 November 2008 |publisher=[[The A.V. Club]] |accessdate=24 May 2009}}</ref> It is an adaptation of the novel ''[[Q & A (novel)|Q & A]]'' (2005) by [[Indian English literature|Indian author]] and diplomat [[Vikas Swarup]]. Set and filmed in India, the film tells the story of [[Jamal Malik (character)|Jamal Malik]], a young man from the [[Juhu]] [[slum]]s of [[Mumbai]]<ref name=nyt>{{cite web|author=[[The New York Times]]|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/movies/16seng.html|title=Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” Captures Mumbai, a City of Extremes - NYTimes|work=Somini Sengupta|date=11 November 2008}}</ref> who appears on the Indian version of ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]'' (''[[Kaun Banega Crorepati]]'' in the [[Hindi]] version) and exceeds people's expectations, thereby arousing the suspicions of cheating; Jamal recounts in flashback how he knows the answer to each question, each one linked to a key event in his life.

After its world premiere at [[Telluride Film Festival]] and later screenings at the [[2008 Toronto International Film Festival|Toronto International Film Festival]] and the [[London Film Festival]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Slumdog Millionaire at the London Film Festival – review| work=The Telegraph| date=31 October 2008|work=The Daily Telegraph | url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3562732/Slumdog-Millionaire-at-the-London-Film-Festival-review.html| accessdate=17 January 2012}}</ref> ''Slumdog Millionaire'' had a nationwide grand release in the United Kingdom on 9&nbsp;January 2009 and in the United States on 23&nbsp;January 2009.<ref name=release>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1010048/releaseinfo Release dates], [[Internet Movie Database]]</ref> It premiered in Mumbai on 22&nbsp;January 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ca.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idCATRE50L4WW20090122?sp=true |title="Slumdog" premieres in India amid Oscar fanfare |author=Shilpa Jamkhandikar |date=22 January 2009 |agency=[[Reuters]] |accessdate=24 May 2009}}</ref>

A [[sleeper hit]], ''Slumdog Millionaire'' was widely acclaimed, being praised for its plot, soundtrack and directing. In addition, it was nominated for ten [[81st Academy Awards|Academy Awards in 2009]], winning eight, the most for any film of 2008, including [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]], [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]], and [[Academy Award for Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]]. It also won seven [[62nd British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA Awards]] (including [[BAFTA Award for Best Film|Best Film]]), five [[14th Critics' Choice Awards|Critics' Choice Awards]], and four [[66th Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globes]].

==Plot==
In 2006, eighteen-year-old Jamal Malik ([[Dev Patel]]), a former [[street children|street child]] (child [[Ayush Mahesh Khedekar]], adolescent [[Tanay Chheda]]) from the [[Juhu]] [[slum]], is a contestant on the Indian version of ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]'', and is one question away from the grand prize. However, before the {{INRConvert|20|m}} question, he is detained and interrogated by the police, who suspect him of cheating because of the impossibility of a simple "slumdog" with very little education knowing all the answers. Jamal recounts, through [[flashback (literary technique)|flashbacks]], the incidents in his life which provided him with each answer. These flashbacks tell the story of Jamal, his brother Salim (adult [[Madhur Mittal]], adolescent [[Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala]], child [[Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail]]), and Latika (adult [[Freida Pinto]], adolescent [[Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar]], child [[Rubina Ali]]). In each flashback Jamal has a point to remember one person, or song, or different things that lead to the right answer of one of the questions. The row of questions does not correspond chronologically to Jamal's life, so the story switches between different periods (childhood, adolescence) of Jamal. Some questions do not refer to points of his life (cricket champion), but by witness he comes to the right answer.

Jamal's flashbacks begin with his managing, at age five, to obtain the autograph of [[Bollywood]] star [[Amitabh Bachchan]], which his brother then sells, followed immediately by the death of his mother during the [[Bombay Riots]]. As they flee the riot, they run into a child version of the God Rama. Salim and Jamal then meet Latika, another child from their slum. Salim is reluctant to take her in, but Jamal suggests that she could be the [[The Three Musketeers|third musketeer]], a character from the [[Alexandre Dumas, père|Alexandre Dumas]] novel (which they had been studying — albeit not very diligently — in school), whose name they do not know. The three are found by Maman ([[Ankur Vikal]]), a [[Organised crime in India|gangster]] who tricks and then trains street children into becoming [[beggar]]s. When Jamal, Salim, and Latika learn Maman is [[Child trafficking in India|blinding children in order to make them more effective]] as singing beggars, they flee by jumping onto a departing train. Latika catches up and takes Salim's hand, but Salim purposely lets go, and she is recaptured by the gangsters. Over the next few years, Salim and Jamal make a living travelling on top of trains, selling goods, picking pockets, working as dish washers, and pretending to be tour guides at the [[Taj Mahal]], where they steal people's shoes. At Jamal's insistence, they return to Mumbai to find Latika, discovering from Arvind, one of the singing beggars, that she has been raised by Maman to become a prostitute and that her [[virginity]] is expected to fetch a high price. The brothers rescue her, and Salim draws a gun and kills Maman. Salim then manages to get a job with Javed ([[Mahesh Manjrekar]]), Maman's rival crime lord. Arriving at their hotel room, Salim orders Jamal to leave him and Latika alone. When Jamal refuses, Salim draws a gun on him, and Jamal leaves after Latika persuades him to go away (presumably so he wouldn't get hurt by Salim).

Years later, while working as a tea server at an Indian [[call centre]], Jamal searches the centre's database for Salim and Latika. He fails in finding Latika but succeeds in finding Salim, who is now a high-ranking lieutenant in Javed's organization, and they reunite. Salim is regretful for his past actions and only pleads for forgiveness when Jamal physically attacks him. Jamal then bluffs his way into Javed's residence and reunites with Latika. While Jamal professes his love for her, Latika asks him to forget about her. Jamal promises to wait for her every day at 5&nbsp;o'clock at the [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus|VT]] station. Latika attempts to rendezvous with him, but she is recaptured by Javed's men, led by Salim. Jamal loses contact with Latika when Javed moves to another house, outside Mumbai. Knowing that Latika watches it regularly, Jamal attempts to make contact with her again by becoming a contestant on the show ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' He makes it to the final question, despite the hostile attitude of the show's host, Prem Kumar ([[Anil Kapoor]]), and becomes a wonder across India. Kumar feeds Jamal the incorrect response to the penultimate question and, when Jamal still gets it right, turns him into the police on suspicion of cheating.

Back in the interrogation room, the police inspector ([[Irrfan Khan]]) calls Jamal's explanation "bizarrely plausible", but thinks he is not a liar and, ripping up the arrest warrant, allows him to return to the show. At Javed's [[safehouse]], Latika watches the news coverage of Jamal's miraculous run on the show. Salim, in an effort to make amends for his past behaviour, quietly gives Latika his mobile phone and car keys, and asks her to forgive him and to go to Jamal. Latika, though initially reluctant out of fear of Javed, agrees and escapes. Salim fills a bathtub with cash and sits in it, waiting for the death he knows will come when Javed discovers what he has done. Jamal's final question is, by coincidence, the name of the third musketeer in ''The Three Musketeers'', a fact he never learned. Jamal uses his [[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire#Lifelines|Phone-A-Friend]] lifeline to call Salim's cell, as it is the only phone number he knows. Latika succeeds in answering the phone just in the nick of time, and, while she does not know the answer, tells Jamal that she is safe. Relieved, Jamal randomly picks [[Aramis]], the right answer, and wins the grand prize. Simultaneously, Javed discovers that Salim has helped Latika escape after he hears Latika on the show. He and his men break down the bathroom door, and Salim kills Javed, before being gunned down himself at the hands of Javed's men. With his dying breath, Salim gasps, "[[Takbir|God is great.]]" Later that night, Jamal and Latika meet at the railway station and kiss. The movie ends with a dance scene on the platform to "[[Jai Ho (song)|Jai Ho]]".

==Cast==
*[[Dev Patel]] as [[Jamal Malik (character)|Jamal Malik]], the protagonist, a  boy born and raised in the poverty of Bombay/Mumbai.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newyorker.com/arts/reviews/film/slumdog_millionaire_boyle |title=Slumdog Millionaire: The Film File: The New Yorker |author=[[Anthony Lane]] |date=1 December 2008 |work=The New Yorker |accessdate=24 May 2009}}</ref> Boyle considered hundreds of young male actors, and he found that [[Bollywood]] leads were generally "strong, handsome hero-types". Boyle's daughter pointed Dev Patel out from his role in the [[Television in the United Kingdom|British television]] ensemble drama ''[[Skins (TV series)|Skins]]''.<ref name="rags"/><ref name="direct">{{cite journal| last=Dawtrey| first=Adam| url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117971102.html?categoryid=13&cs=1| title=Danny Boyle to direct 'Slumdog'| journal=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]| date=30 August 2007| accessdate=15 January 2008}}</ref>
** [[Ayush Mahesh Khedekar]] as Youngest Jamal
** [[Tanay Chheda]] as Teenage Jamal
*  [[Freida Pinto]] as Latika, Jamal's love interest. Pinto was an Indian model who had not starred in a feature film before.<ref name="rags" /> Regarding the "one of a kind" scarf she wears, designer [[Suttirat Anne Larlarb]] says, "I wanted to bookend the journey—to tie her childhood yellow dress to her final look."<ref>As quoted by Lindsay Soll, "Finders Keepers", ''Entertainment Weekly'' 1029 (9 January 2009), p.&nbsp;10.</ref>
** [[Rubina Ali]] as Youngest Latika.
** [[Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar]] as Teenage Latika
* [[Madhur Mittal]] as Salim K. Malik, Jamal's elder brother.
** [[Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail]] as Youngest Salim.
** [[Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala]] as Teenage Salim
*[[Anil Kapoor]] as Prem Kumar, the game show host. Boyle initially wanted Indian actor [[Shahrukh Khan]] to play the role,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-08-24/news-interviews/27979629_1_hot-seat-aamir-srk |title=Freeze kiya jaaye? SRK |author=Sandipan Dalal |work=The Times of India | date=24 August 2007 |accessdate=24 May 2009}}</ref> but things did not work out. Khan had hosted the 2007 series of ''[[Kaun Banega Crorepati]]'', the Indian version of ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' Kapoor has also starred as a guest on the show with [[Amitabh Bachchan]] and won Rs 5,000,000. 
* [[Irrfan Khan]] as the Police Inspector
* [[Saurabh Shukla]] as Head Constable Srinivas
* [[Mahesh Manjrekar]] as Javed Khan, the crime boss and the main antagonist.
* [[Ankur Vikal]] as Maman
* [[Rajendranath Zutshi]] as the ''Millionaire'' show producer
* Sanchita Choudhary as Jamal and Salim's mother
* Mia Drake Inderbitzin as Adele, American tourist
* Shanjei Ramanathan as Arvind, blind beggar boy
* [[Arfi Lamba]] as Bardi
* [[Shruti Seth]] as Voice Accent Trainer

==Production==
[[File:Slumdog Millionaire screening at Ryerson.jpg|thumb|300px|''Slumdog Millionaire'' screening at [[Ryerson Theatre]], Toronto, Ontario]]
Screenwriter [[Simon Beaufoy]] wrote ''Slumdog Millionaire'' based on the [[Exclusive Books Boeke Prize|Boeke Prize]]-winning and [[Commonwealth Writers' Prize]]-nominated novel ''[[Q & A (novel)|Q & A]]'' by [[Vikas Swarup]].<ref name="interviewsradio">{{cite web| url=http://www.pyroradio.com/index.cfm/act/interview_details/id/89| title=Slumdog Millionaire Interviews| publisher=Pyro Radio| accessdate=17 January 2009}}</ref> To hone the script, Beaufoy made three research trips to India and interviewed [[street children]], finding himself impressed with their attitudes. The screenwriter said of his goal for the script: "I wanted to get (across) the sense of this huge amount of fun, laughter, chat, and sense of community that is in these slums. What you pick up on is this mass of energy."

By the summer of 2006, British production companies [[Celador|Celador Films]] and [[Film4 Productions]] invited director [[Danny Boyle]] to read the script of ''Slumdog Millionaire''. Boyle hesitated, since he was not interested in making a film about ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]'', which was produced by Celador.<ref name="rags">{{cite journal| last=Roston| first=Tom| url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/features/awards-season/e3ib77f797483aeeed69fe2c15bcc9ccf4e| title='Slumdog Millionaire' shoot was rags to riches| journal=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]| date=4 November 2008| accessdate=12 November 2008}}</ref> Then Boyle learned that the screenwriter was Beaufoy, who had written ''[[The Full Monty]]'' (1997), one of the director's favourite [[Cinema of the United Kingdom|British films]], and decided to revisit the script.<ref name=sunshine>{{cite news| last=Evry| first=Max| coauthors=Ryan Rotten| url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=22029| title= Exclusive: Danny Boyle on ''Sunshine''! | publisher=ComingSoon.net| date=16 July 2007| accessdate=15 January 2008}}</ref> Boyle was impressed by how Beaufoy wove the multiple storylines from Swarup's book into one narrative, and the director decided to commit to the project. The film was projected to cost $15&nbsp;million, so Celador sought a US distributor to share costs. [[Fox Searchlight Pictures]] made an initial offer that was reportedly in the $2&nbsp;million range, but [[Warner Independent Pictures]] made a $5&nbsp;million offer to win rights to the picture.<ref name="rags" />

Gail Stevens came on board to oversee casting globally. Stevens had worked with Boyle throughout his career and was well known for discovering new talent. Meredith Tucker was appointed to cast out of the US. The film-makers then travelled to [[Mumbai]] in September 2007 with a partial crew and began hiring local cast and crew for production in [[Karjat]]. Originally appointed as one of the five casting directors in India, [[Loveleen Tandan]] has stated, "I suggested to Danny and Simon Beaufoy, the writer of ''Slumdog'', that it was important to do some of it in [[Hindi]] to bring the film alive [...] They asked me to pen the Hindi dialogues which I, of course, instantly agreed to do. And as we drew closer to the shoot date, Danny asked me to step in as the co-director."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=f1483b43-906b-4212-9798-737e0f1b860a |title=I sometimes feel like I'm the off-screen 'millionaire': Loveleen |work=Hindustan Times  |date=1 January 2009 |accessdate=24 May 2009}}</ref> Boyle then decided to translate nearly a third of the film's English dialogue into Hindi. The director fibbed to Warner Independent's president that he wanted 10% of the dialogue in Hindi, and she approved of the change.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} Filming locations included shooting in Mumbai's megaslum and in [[shantytown]] parts of [[Juhu]], so film-makers controlled the crowds by befriending onlookers.<ref name="rags"/> Filming began on 5&nbsp;November 2007.<ref name="direct" />

In addition to Swarup's original novel ''Q & A'', the film was also inspired by [[Cinema of India|Indian cinema]].<ref name=Kumar/> Tandan has referred to ''Slumdog Millionaire'' as a homage to [[Bollywood|Hindi commercial cinema]], noting that "Simon Beaufoy studied [[Salim-Javed]]'s kind of cinema minutely."<ref name=Hindu>{{cite web |title='Slumdog Millionaire' has an Indian co-director |work=The Hindu  |date=11 January 2009 |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200901110925.htm |accessdate=23 January 2009}}</ref> Boyle has cited the influence of several [[Bollywood]] films set in Mumbai.{{Ref label|footnote_1|i|i}} ''[[Satya (film)|Satya]]'' (1998) (screenplay co-written by [[Saurabh Shukla]], who plays Constable Srinivas in ''Slumdog Millionaire'') and ''[[Company (2002 film)|Company]]'' (2002) (based on the [[D-Company]]) both offered "slick, often mesmerising portrayals of the [[Indian mafia|Mumbai underworld]]" and displayed realistic "brutality and urban violence." Boyle has also stated that the chase in one of the opening scenes of ''Slumdog Millionaire'' was based on a "12-minute police chase through the crowded [[Dharavi]] slum" in ''[[Black Friday (2004 film)|Black Friday]]'' (2004) (adapted from S. Hussein Zaidi's book of the same name about the [[1993 Bombay bombings]]).<ref name=Kumar/><ref>{{cite news |title=All you need to know about Slumdog Millionaire |work=The Independent  |date=21 January 2009 |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/all-you-need-to-know-about-slumdog-millionaire-1452119.html |accessdate=21 January 2009 | location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Lisa Tsering |title='Slumdog' Director Boyle Has 'Fingers Crossed' for Oscars |publisher=IndiaWest |date=29 January 2009 |url=http://www.indiawest.com/readmore.aspx?id=860&sid=5 |accessdate=30 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=DGA nominees borrow from the masters: Directors cite specific influences for their films |author=Anthony Kaufman |work=Variety |date=29 January 2009 |url=http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=awardcentral&jump=contenders&id=director&articleid=VR1117999259&cs=1 |accessdate=30 January 2009}}</ref> ''[[Deewaar (1975 film)|Deewaar]]'' (1975), which Boyle described as being "absolutely key to [[Cinema of India|Indian cinema]]", is a [[crime film]] based on the Bombay gangster [[Haji Mastan]], portrayed by Bollywood star [[Amitabh Bachchan]], whose autograph Jamal seeks at the beginning of ''Slumdog Millionaire''.<ref name=Kumar>{{cite web |author=Amitava Kumar |title=Slumdog Millionaire's Bollywood Ancestors |work=Vanity Fair |date=23 December 2008 |url=http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2008/12/slumdog-millionaires-bollywood-ancestors.html |accessdate=4 January 2008}}</ref> [[Anil Kapoor]] noted that some scenes of the film "are like ''Deewaar'', the story of two brothers of whom one is completely after money while the younger one is honest and not interested in money."<ref>{{cite web |author=Runna Ashish Bhutda, Ashwini Deshmukh, Kunal M Shah, Vickey Lalwani, Parag Maniar, Subhash K Jha |title=The Slumdog Millionaire File|work=[[Mumbai Mirror]] |date=13 January 2009 |url=http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=11&contentid=200901132009011303014836695d00b9e |accessdate=30 January 2009}}</ref> Boyle has cited other Indian films as influences in later interviews.{{Ref label|footnote_2|ii|ii}}<ref name=Jivani>{{cite web |author=Alkarim Jivani |title=Mumbai rising |work=[[Sight & Sound]] |date=February 2009 |url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/49511 |accessdate=1 February 2009}}</ref> The [[rags to riches|rags-to-riches]], [[underdog (competition)|underdog]] theme was also a recurring theme in classic Bollywood movies from the 1950s through to the 1980s, when "India worked to lift itself from hunger and poverty."<ref name=Age>{{cite news |title=Slumdog draws crowds, but not all like what they see |work=The Age |location=Australia |author=Mark Magnier |date=25 January 2009 |url=http://www.theage.com.au/world/slumdog-draws-crowds-but-not-all-like-what-they-see-20090124-7p33.html |accessdate=24 May 2009 | location=Melbourne}}</ref> Other classic Bollywood [[trope (literature)|tropes]] in the film include "the fantasy sequences" and the [[montage sequence]] where "the brothers jump off a train and suddenly they are seven years older".<ref name=Jivani/>

The producer's first choice for the role of Prem Kumar was [[Shahrukh Khan]],<ref name=dontregret /> an established Bollywood star and host of the 2007 series of ''[[Kaun Banega Crorepati]]'' (the Indian version of ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?''). However Khan turned down the role, concerned that he did not want to give his audience the impression that the real show was a fraud by playing a fraud host in the movie.{{citation needed|date=February 2014}} Despite the subsequent success of the film, Khan has stated that he does not regret turning the role down<ref name=dontregret>{{cite web |title=I don't regret turning down Slumdog: SRK |work=The Times of India  |date=20 January 2009 |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-01-20/news-interviews/28049377_1_anil-kapoor-golden-globes-srk |accessdate=21 January 2009}}</ref> and has been a vociferous supporter of the film to its critics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-shah-rukh-khan-slams-slumdog-millionaire-critics-1229053 |title=Shah Rukh Khan slams Slumdog Millionaire critics |publisher=Dnaindia.com |date=9 February 2009 |accessdate=8 February 2014}}</ref>

Paul Smith, the executive producer of ''Slumdog Millionaire'' and the chairman of Celador Films, previously owned the international rights to ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?''<ref name="williams">{{cite web |author=Eoghan Williams |title=Quiz show king didn't want to be a millionaire |work=[[Sunday Independent (Ireland)|Sunday Independent]] |date=21 October 2007 |url=http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/quiz-show-king-didnt-want-to-be-a-millionaire-1200517.html}}</ref>

==Release and box office performance==
In August 2007, [[Warner Independent Pictures]] acquired the North American rights and [[Pathé]] the international rights to distribute ''Slumdog Millionaire'' theatrically.<ref name="direct" /> However, in May 2008, Warner Independent Pictures was shut down, with all of its projects being transferred to [[Warner Bros.]], its parent studio. Warner Bros. doubted the commercial prospects of ''Slumdog Millionaire'' and suggested that it would go straight to DVD without a US theatrical release.<ref>{{cite news| first=Tim| last=Walker| title=All you need to know about Slumdog Millionaire| date=21 January 2009| url =http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/all-you-need-to-know-about-slumdog-millionaire-1452119.html|work=The Independent | accessdate =21 January 2009 | location=London}}</ref> In August 2008, the studio began searching for buyers for various productions, to relieve its overload of end-of-the-year films.<ref>{{cite news| last=Goldstein| first=Patrick| url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2008/08/warners-films-m.html| title=Warners' films: Movie overboard! |work=Los Angeles Times| date=12 August 2008| accessdate=12 November 2008}}</ref> Halfway through the month, Warner Bros. entered into a pact with [[Fox Searchlight Pictures]] to share distribution of the film, with Fox Searchlight buying 50% of Warner Bros.'s interest in the movie and handling US distribution.<ref>{{cite news| last=Flaherty| first=Mike| url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117990881.html?categoryId=13&cs=1| title=Fox, WB to share 'Slumdog' distribution|work=Variety| date=20 August 2008| accessdate=12 November 2008}}</ref>

Following its success at the [[81st Academy Awards]], the film topped the worldwide box office (barring North America), grossing $16&nbsp;million from 34 markets in the week following the Academy Awards.<ref name=Bresnan>{{cite web|title=Around the World Roundup: 'Slumdog' Surges|author=Conor Bresnan|date=5 March 2009|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2556&p=.htm|accessdate=16 March 2009}}</ref> Worldwide, the film has currently grossed over $377&nbsp;million,<ref name="mojototal">{{cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=slumdogmillionaire.htm |title=Slumdog Millionaire (2008) |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]] |accessdate=12 October 2009}}</ref> becoming [[Fox Searchlight Pictures]]'s highest-grossing film ever (surpassing ''[[Juno (film)|Juno]]'').

===Australia===
The Australian 2008 release of ''Slumdog Millionaire'' was produced by [[Icon Productions|Icon Film Distribution]].

===North America===
[[File:FreidaPintoDevPatel08TIFF.jpg|thumb|right|Stars [[Dev Patel]] and [[Freida Pinto]] at the [[2008 Toronto International Film Festival]]]]

''Slumdog Millionaire'' was first shown at the [[Telluride Film Festival]] on 30&nbsp;August 2008, where it was positively received by audiences, generating "strong buzz".<ref>{{cite news| last=Kearney| first=Christine| url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUKN0132417920080901| title=Boyle film leads buzz at Telluride Film festival| agency=Reuters| date=1 September 2008| accessdate=12 November 2008}}</ref> The film also screened at the [[Toronto International Film Festival]] on 7&nbsp;September 2008, where it was "the first widely acknowledged popular success" of the festival,<ref>{{cite news| last=Phillips| first=Michael| url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-09-08/features/0809070432_1_major-film-festival-vikas-swarup-slumdog-millionaire| title='Slumdog' artful, if extreme|work=Chicago Tribune| date=8 September 2008| accessdate=12 November 2008}}</ref> winning the People's Choice Award.<ref>{{cite news| author=Susan Wloszczyna| url=http://www.indiewire.com/ots/2008/09/toronto_08_slum.html| title='Slumdog Millionaire' hits it big with audience award| work=USA Today| date=15 September 2008| accessdate=17 January 2012}}</ref> ''Slumdog Millionaire'' debuted with a limited North American release on 12 November 2008, followed by a nationwide release in the United States on 23&nbsp;January 2009.<ref name="bomdaily">{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=slumdogmillionaire.htm| title=Slumdog Millionaire (2008) – Daily Box Office| publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]| accessdate=26 January 2009}}</ref>

After debuting on a Wednesday, the film grossed $360,018 in 10 theatres in its first weekend, a strong average of $36,002 per theatre.<ref name="bomweekly">{{cite web | url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=slumdogmillionaire.htm | title=Slumdog Millionaire (2008) – Weekend Box Office Results | publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]] | accessdate=31 March 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2008/SLUMD.php| title=Slumdog Millionaire| publisher=The-numbers.com| accessdate=17 January 2011}}</ref> In its second weekend, it expanded to 32&nbsp;theatres and made $947,795, or an average of $29,619 per theatre, representing a drop of only 18%.<ref name="bomweekly" /> In the 10 original theatres that it was released in, viewership went up 16%, and this is attributed to strong word-of-mouth.<ref>{{cite news| last=Knegt| first=Peter| url=http://www.indiewire.com/biz/2008/11/iw_bot_slumdog.html| title=indieWIRE: iW BOT – "Slumdog" Poised To Become Season's Success Story| publisher=[[indieWIRE]]| date=24 November 2008| accessdate=26 November 2008}}{{dead link|date=August 2010}}</ref> The film expanded into wide release on 25 December 2008 at 614 theatres and earned $5,647,007 over the extended Christmas weekend.<ref name="bomdaily" /> Following its success at the [[81st Academy Awards]], the film's takings increased by 43%,<ref>{{cite web |title=USA Box Office Returns for the weekend starting 27&nbsp;February 2009 |publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]] |url=http://www.imdb.com/boxoffice/?date=27 February 2009&region=us |accessdate=5 March 2009}}</ref> the most for any film since ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Oscars give Slumdog Millionaire box-office boost as child stars readjust|author=Ben Child |work=The Guardian  |date=2 March 2009 |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/mar/02/oscars-slumdog-millionaire-box-office |accessdate=5 March 2009 | location=London}}</ref> In the weekend of 27&nbsp;February to 1&nbsp;March, the film reached its widest release at 2,943 theatres.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=slumdogmillionaire.htm |title=Slumdog Millionaire (2008) |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]] |accessdate=20 March 2009}}</ref> The film has grossed over $140&nbsp;million at the North American box office.<ref name="mojototal"/>

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States on 31 March 2009. The film opened at No. 2 in the DVD sales chart, making $14.16m off 842,000 DVD units.<ref name=TheNumbersDVD>{{cite web|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2008/SLUMD-DVD.php |title=Slumdog Millionaire – DVD Sales |publisher=The Numbers |accessdate=30 August 2010}}</ref> As of 12 November 2009, an estimated 1,964,962 DVD units have been sold, translating to $31.32m in revenue. This figure does not include Blu-ray sales/DVD rentals.<ref name=TheNumbersDVD/>
It had previously been announced that 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment would be starting a new marketing program with two versions of each release: a stripped-down minimal version for the rental market, and a traditional full version with "bonus extra" features, such as commentary and "making of" material for the retail market. The release production was mixed up; some full versions were shipped in rental cases, and some retail versions were missing the extras despite their being listed on the outside of the box. Public apologies were issued by Fox and Amazon.<ref name="Variety">{{cite news| url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001992.html?categoryid=1009| title=Fox DVD stumbles with 'Slumdog'| date=1 April 2009|work=Variety| accessdate=17 January 2012}}</ref>

===Europe===
The film was released in the United Kingdom on 9 January 2009, and opened at No. 2 at the UK box office.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/15109 |title=UK Box Office: 9–11 January 2009 |publisher=[[UK Film Council]] |accessdate=24 May 2009}}</ref> The film reached No. 1 in its second weekend and set a UK box office record, as the film's takings increased by 47%. This is the "biggest ever increase for a UK saturation release," breaking "the record previously held by ''[[Billy Elliot]]''{{'}}s 13%." This record-breaking "ticket surge" in the second weekend came after ''Slumdog Millionaire'' won four Golden Globes and received eleven [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]] nominations. The film grossed £6.1&nbsp;million in its first eleven days of release in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |title=Slumdog Mauls Box Office Record |publisher=[[Sky News]] |date=20 January 2009 |url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/British-Film-Slumdog-Millionaire-Breaks-UK-Box-Office-Record-For-Ticket-Sales/Article/200901315206917 |accessdate=23 January 2009}}</ref> The takings increased by another 7% the following weekend, bringing the film's gross up to £10.24&nbsp;million for its first seventeen days in the UK,<ref name=Guardian>{{cite news |title=Slumdog runs and runs atop UK box office |work=The Guardian  |date=27 January 2009 |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2009/jan/27/danny-boyle-tom-cruise |accessdate=28 January 2009 | location=London | first=Charles | last=Gant}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Matt Smith |title=Slumdog Is Top Dog In UK Cinemas |publisher=[[Sky News]] |date=26 January 2009 |url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Slumdog-Millionaire-Beats-Tom-Cruises-Valkyrie-To-Top-UK-Box-Office-For-Second-Week/Article/200901415210564?lpos=UK_News_Top_Stories_Header_4&lid=ARTICLE_15210564_Slumdog_Millionaire_Beats_Tom_Cruises_Valkyrie_To_Top_UK_Box_Office_For_Second_Week |accessdate=27 January 2009}}</ref> and up to £14.2&nbsp;million in its third week.<ref>{{cite news |title=Slumdog still leads UK box office |publisher=BBC News |date=3 February 2009 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7867201.stm |accessdate=3 February 2009}}</ref>

As of 20 February 2009, the film's UK box office gross was £22,973,110,<ref>{{cite web |title=United Kingdom Box Office Returns for the weekend starting 20&nbsp;February 2009 |publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]] |url=http://www.imdb.com/boxoffice/?region=uk |accessdate=2 March 2009}}</ref> making it "the eighth biggest hit at UK cinemas of the past 12&nbsp;months."<ref>{{cite news|title=UK box office: Half-term shot in the arm for Bolt |work=The Guardian  |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2009/feb/24/uk-box-office |accessdate=2 March 2009 | location=London | date=24 February 2009 | first=Charles | last=Gant}}</ref> In the week ending 1&nbsp;March 2009, following its success at the [[81st Academy Awards]] where it won eight Oscars, the film returned to No. 1 at the UK box office,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/15267 |title=UK Box Office: 27 February – 1 March 2009 |publisher=[[UK Film Council]] |accessdate=24 May 2009}}</ref> grossing £26&nbsp;million as of 2&nbsp;March 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=Slumdog tops box office again |publisher=[[Teletext]] |date=2 March 2009 |url=http://www.teletext.co.uk/entertainment/news/75b798f8570bb1bb1baa944b75592f95/Slumdog+tops+box+office+again.aspx |accessdate=2 March 2009}}</ref> As of 17 May 2009, the total UK gross was over £31.6&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/15565 |title=UK Box Office: 15–17 May 2009 |publisher=[[UK Film Council]] |accessdate=24 May 2009}}</ref> The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 1 June 2009.

The film's success at the Academy Awards led to it seeing large increases in takings elsewhere in Europe the following week. Its biggest single country increase was in Italy, where it was up 556% from the previous week. The takings in France and Spain also increased by 61% and 73% respectively. During the same week, the film debuted in other European countries with successful openings: in [[Croatia]] it grossed $170,419 from 10&nbsp;screens, making it the biggest opening there in the last four months; and in Poland it opened in second place with a gross of $715,677. The film was released in Sweden on 6 March 2009 and in Germany on 19&nbsp;March 2009.<ref name=Bresnan/>

===India===
[[File:Oscar Puyal Rahman.jpg|thumb|A. R. Rahman at his residence in [[Chennai]] after receiving two [[Academy Awards]] for his work in ''Slumdog Millionaire'']]
In India, the [[premiere]] of ''Slumdog Millionaire'' took place in [[Mumbai]] on 22&nbsp;January 2009 and was attended by major personalities of the [[Cinema of India|Indian film industry]], with more than a hundred attending this event.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.radiosargam.com/films/archives/31728/aamir-hrithik-imran-sonam-attend-slumdog-millionaire-premiere.html| title=Aamir, Hrithik, Imran, Sonam attend Slumdog Millionaire premiere| publisher=[[Radio Sargam]]| last=Aryan| first=Tony| date=22 January 2009| accessdate=22 January 2009}}</ref> A dubbed [[Hindi]] version, ''Slumdog Crorepati'' (स्लमडॉग करोड़पति), was also released in India in addition to the original version of the film.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article5576403.ece| title=A thousand words: Slumdog Millionaire opens in India |work=The Times  |author=Jeremy Page | date=24 January 2009| accessdate=24 May 2009 | location=London}}</ref> Originally titled ''Slumdog Millionaire: Kaun Banega Crorepati'', the name was shortened for legal reasons. [[Loveleen Tandan]], who supervised the dubbing, stated, "All the actors from the original English including Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan and Ankur Vikal dubbed the film. We got a boy from [[Chembur]], Pradeep Motwani to dub for the male lead Dev Patel. I didn't want any exaggerated dubbing. I wanted a young unspoilt voice."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-72071.html| title='Slumdog Millionaire' in Hindi will be 'Crorepati| agency=[[Indo-Asian News Service]]| last=Jha| first=Subhash K.| date=9 January 2009| accessdate=23 January 2009}}</ref>

Fox Searchlight released 351 prints of the film across India for its full release there on 23&nbsp;January 2009.<ref name=Singh>{{cite news |author=Madhur Singh |title=Slumdog Millionaire, an Oscar Favorite, Is No Hit in India|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=26 January 2009 |url=http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1873926,00.html?imw=Y |accessdate=27 January 2009}}</ref> It earned {{INRConvert|23,545,665|year=2009|nolink=yes}} in its first week at the Indian box office,<ref name=boxofficeindia>{{cite web |title=Box Office India|publisher=[[Bollywood Hungama]] |url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/boxoffice/13980/index.html |accessdate=9 February 2009}}</ref> or $2.2&nbsp;million according to Fox Searchlight. Though not as successful as major [[Bollywood]] releases in India during its first week, this was the highest weekend gross for any [[20th Century Fox|Fox]] film and the third highest for any Western release in the country, trailing only ''[[Spider-Man 3]]'' and ''[[Casino Royale (2006 film)|Casino Royale]]''.<ref name=Singh/> In its second week, the film's gross rose to {{INRConvert|30,470,752|year=2009|nolink=yes}} at the Indian box office.<ref name=boxofficeindia/>

A few analysts have offered their opinions about the film's performance at the Indian box office. Trade analyst Komal Nahta commented, "There was a problem with the title itself. Slumdog is not a familiar word for majority Indians." In addition, trade analyst Amod Mehr has stated that with the exception of [[Anil Kapoor]], the film lacks recognisable stars and that "the film... is not ideally suited for Indian sentiment." A cinema owner commented that "to hear slum boys speaking perfect English doesn't seem right but when they are speaking in Hindi, the film seems much more believable." The dubbed Hindi version, ''Slumdog Crorepati'', did better at the box office, and additional copies of that version were released.<ref>{{cite news |author= Shilpa Jamkhandikar |title=Piracy, controversy mar Slumdog's India run |agency=[[Reuters]] |date=30 January 2009| publisher=Canada.com|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/entertainment/books/story.html?id=3b8503ee-cff8-4c8a-993b-7d78af594903| accessdate=30 January 2009}}</ref> Following the film's success at the [[81st Academy Awards]], the film's takings in India increased by 470% the following week, bringing its total up to $6.3&nbsp;million that week.<ref name=Bresnan/> As of 15&nbsp;March 2009, ''Slumdog Crorepati'' had grossed {{INRConvert|158,613,802|year=2009|nolink=yes}} at the Indian box office.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=IBOS – The Complete Channel on Indian Film Industry Box Office |title=Results for Week Updated 3/15/2009 |url=http://www.ibosnetwork.com |accessdate=20 March 2009}}</ref>

===Asia-Pacific===
The film's success at the Academy Awards led to it seeing large increases in takings in the Asia-Pacific region. In Australia, the takings increased by 53%, bringing the film up to second place there.<ref name=Bresnan/> In Hong Kong, the film debuted taking $1&nbsp;million in its opening weekend, making it the second biggest opening of the year there.<ref  name=Bresnan/> The film was released in Japan on 18&nbsp;April 2009, South Korea on 19&nbsp;March 2009, China on 26&nbsp;March 2009, [[Vietnam]] on 10&nbsp;April 2009,<ref name=Bresnan/> and 11&nbsp;April 2009 in the [[Philippines]].

In particular, the film was a major success in East Asia. In the People's Republic of China, the film grossed $2.2&nbsp;million in its opening weekend (27–29 March). In Japan, the film grossed $12&nbsp;million, the most the film has grossed in any Asian country.<ref>{{cite news|title='Slumdog' ends tour with Asian feat: China, Japan embrace Oscar-winning pic|author=Pamela McClintock|work=Variety|date=24 April 2009|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118002826.html?categoryid=1278&cs=1|accessdate=18 May 2009}}</ref>

==Reaction==
{| class="infobox" style="width: 26em; font-size: 85%;"
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! colspan="8" | [[81st Academy Awards nominees and winners|Academy Awards record]]
|-
| '''1. [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]'''
|-
| '''2. [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]]''', [[Danny Boyle]]
|-
| '''3. [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]]''', [[Simon Beaufoy]]
|-
| '''4. [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]]''', [[Anthony Dod Mantle]]
|-
| '''5. [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]]''', [[A. R. Rahman]],
|-
| '''6. [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] – "[[Jai Ho (song)|Jai Ho]]"''', Music by [[A. R. Rahman]], Lyric by [[Gulzar]] (lyricist)
|-
| '''7. [[Academy Award for Film Editing|Best Film Editing]]''', [[Chris Dickens]]
|-
| '''8. [[Academy Award for Best Sound|Best Sound Mixing]]''', [[Resul Pookutty]], [[Richard Pryke]], and [[Ian Tapp]]
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! colspan="7" | [[62nd British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA Awards record]]
|-
| '''1. [[BAFTA Award for Best Film|Best Film]]''', Christian Colson
|-
| '''2. [[BAFTA Award for Best Direction|Best Director]]''', Danny Boyle
|-
| '''3. [[BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]]''', Simon Beaufoy
|-
| '''4. [[BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]]''', Anthony Dod Mantle
|-
| '''5. [[BAFTA Award for Best Film Music|Best Film Music]]''', A. R. Rahman
|-
| '''6. [[BAFTA Award for Best Editing|Best Editing]]''', Chris Dickens
|-
| '''7. [[BAFTA Award for Best Sound|Best Sound]]''', Glenn Freemantle, Resul Pookutty, Richard Pyke, Tom Sayers, Ian Tapp
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! colspan="4" | [[66th Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards record]]
|-
| '''1. [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama|Best Picture – Drama]]
|-
| '''2. [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director – Motion Picture|Best Director]]''', Danny Boyle
|-
| '''3. [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]''', Simon Beaufoy
|-
| '''4. [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]]''', A. R. Rahman
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
!| [[24th Goya Awards|Goya Awards (Spain)]]
|-
| '''1. [[Goya Award for Best European Film|Best European Film]]
|}

===Critical Reception===
{{Main|List of accolades received by Slumdog Millionaire}}

''Slumdog Millionaire'' was critically acclaimed, named in the top ten lists of various newspapers.<ref name=mctop08>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2008/toptens.shtml |title=Metacritic: 2008 Film Critic Top Ten Lists |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |accessdate=11 January 2009}}{{dead link|date=August 2010}}</ref> On 22&nbsp;February 2009, the film won eight out of [[81st Academy Awards nominees and winners|ten Academy Awards]] for which it was nominated, including the [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]] and [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]].<ref name="Oscars2009">{{cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/81st-winners.html |title=The 81st Academy Awards (2009) Nominees and Winners |accessdate=22 November 2011|publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences}}</ref> It is the eighth film ever to win eight Academy Awards<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/4786193/Oscar-winners-Slumdog-Millionaire-and-Kate-Winslet-triumph-in-great-night-for-British-film.html |title=Oscar winners: Slumdog Millionaire and Kate Winslet lead British film sweep |author=Anita Singh |date=23 February 2009 |work=The Daily Telegraph  |accessdate=24 May 2009 | location=London}}</ref> and the eleventh Best Picture Oscar winner without a single acting nomination.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvguide.com/news/2009-oscar-predictions-1003134.aspx |title=Oscars: Who Will Win and Who Will Surprise? |author=Joyce Eng |date=20 February 2009 |work=[[TV Guide]] |accessdate=24 May 2009}}</ref> At the same time, ''[[Taare Zameen Par (Like Stars on Earth)]]'', India's submission for the [[List of submissions to the 81st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film|Academy Award for Best Foreign Film]], failed to make the short list of nominations and was [[Taare Zameen Par (Like Stars on Earth)#2009 Academy Awards submission and Slumdog Millionaire|frequently compared with ''Slumdog Millionaire'' in the Indian media]].<ref name=misses>{{cite web
|url=http://in.ibtimes.com/articles/20090114/taare-zameen-par-aamir-khan-slumdog-millionaire.htm
|title= 'Taare Zameen Par' misses out on Oscars
|accessdate=26 May 2010
|date= 14 January 2009
|publisher=IBT
}}{{dead link|date=August 2010}}</ref><ref name=juxt2>{{cite web
|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_aamir-s-taare-zameen-par-misses-oscar-shortlist_1221595
|title= Aamir's 'Taare Zameen Par' misses Oscar shortlist
|accessdate=26 May 2010
|last=PTI
|date= 14 January 2009
|publisher=DNA
}}</ref><ref name=juxt>{{cite web
|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200902171661.htm
|title= Govt. lauds Rahman, 'Slumdog' team
|accessdate=26 May 2010
|last=PTI
|date= 17 February 2009
|work=The Hindu 
}}</ref><ref name=juxt3>{{cite web
|url=http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20090113-114349.html
|title= Is 'Slumdog' India's?
|accessdate=26 May 2010
|last=AFP
|date= 13 January 2009
|publisher=AsiaOne
}}</ref>

The film also won seven of the eleven [[62nd British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA Awards]] for which it was nominated, including [[BAFTA Award for Best Film|Best Film]]; all four of the [[66th Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]] for which it was nominated, including [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama|Best Drama Film]]; and five of the six [[14th Critics' Choice Awards|Critics' Choice Awards]] for which it was nominated.

The much acclaimed title sequence has been honoured by a nomination at the prestigious 2009 [[Rushes Soho Shorts Film Festival]] in the 'Broadcast Design Award' category in competition with the likes of the [[Match of the Day]] [[Euro 2008]] titles by [[Aardman]] and two projects by [[Agenda Collective]].

===Reactions from outside India===
[[File:Cast "Slumdog Millionaire".JPG|thumb|left|300px|''Slumdog Millionaire'' team at the [[81st Academy Awards]] in the US]]
''Slumdog Millionaire'' was met with near universal critical acclaim. {{As of|2012|7|05}}, [[Rotten Tomatoes]] has given the film a 94%&nbsp;rating with 210&nbsp;''fresh'' and 14 ''rotten'' reviews. The [[weighted mean|average]] score is 8.2/10.<ref name="rt">{{cite web| url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/slumdog_millionaire/| title=Slumdog Millionaire Movie Reviews| work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]| publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc| accessdate=5 July 2012}}</ref> At [[Metacritic]], which assigns a [[Standard score|normalised]] rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film has received an average score of 86, based on 36&nbsp;reviews.<ref name="meta">{{cite web| url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/slumdogmillionaire| title=Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Reviews| publisher=[[Metacritic]]| publisher=CNET Networks, Inc| accessdate=25 November 2008}}</ref> Movie City News shows that the film appeared in 123&nbsp;different top ten lists, out of 286 different critics lists surveyed, the 3rd most mentions on a top ten list of any film released in 2008.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://moviecitynews.com/awards/2009/top_ten/00scoreboard.htm|year=2008 |author=David Poland |title=The 2008 Movie City News Top Ten Awards |accessdate=25 January 2009}}{{dead link|date=August 2010}}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun Times]]'' gave the film 4 out of 4 stars, stating that it is, "a breathless, exciting story, heartbreaking and exhilarating."<ref>{{cite journal| last=Ebert| first=Roger|authorlink=Roger Ebert| url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081111/REVIEWS/811110297/1023| title=Slumdog Millionaire| journal=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]| date=11 November 2008| accessdate=13 January 2009}}</ref> ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' critic [[Joe Morgenstern]] refers to ''Slumdog Millionaire'' as, "the film world's first globalised masterpiece."<ref>{{cite journal| last=Morgenstern| first=Joe| url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122661670370126131.html| title='Slumdog' Finds Rare Riches in Poor Boy's Tale| journal=[[The Wall Street Journal]]| date=14 November 2008| accessdate=16 January 2009}}</ref> Ann Hornaday of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' argues that, "this modern-day 'rags-to-rajah' fable won the audience award at the [[Toronto International Film Festival]] earlier this year, and it's easy to see why. With its timely setting of a swiftly globalising India and, more specifically, the country's own version of the 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' TV show, combined with timeless melodrama and a hardworking orphan who withstands all manner of setbacks, 'Slumdog Millionaire' plays like [[Charles Dickens]] for the 21st&nbsp;century."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/11/AR2008111102775.html |title=From 'Slumdog' to Riches In a Crowd-Pleasing Fable |work=The Washington Post |last=Hornaday|first=Ann |date=12 November 2008 |accessdate=13 January 2009}}</ref> [[Kenneth Turan]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' describes the film as "a Hollywood-style romantic melodrama that delivers major studio satisfactions in an ultra-modern way" and "a story of star-crossed romance that the original Warner brothers would have embraced, shamelessly pulling out stops that you wouldn't think anyone would have the nerve to attempt any more."<ref name="los">{{cite news| url=http://articles.latimes.com/2008/nov/12/entertainment/et-slumdog12| title=Life is the Answer|work=Los Angeles Times| last=Turan| first=Kenneth| date=12 November 2008| accessdate=17 January 2012}}</ref> [[Anthony Lane]] of the ''[[The New Yorker|New Yorker]]'' stated, "There is a mismatch here. Boyle and his team, headed by the director of photography, Anthony Dod Mantle, clearly believe that a city like Mumbai, with its shifting skyline and a population of more than fifteen million, is as ripe for storytelling as Dickens's London [...] At the same time, the story they chose is sheer fantasy, not in its glancing details but in its emotional momentum. How else could Boyle get away with assembling his cast for a Bollywood dance number, at a railroad station, over the closing credits? You can either chide the film, at this point, for relinquishing any claim to realism or you can go with the flow—surely the wiser choice."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Lane |first=Anthony |authorlink=Anthony Lane |date=24 November 2008|title=The Current Cinema: Hard Times|journal=[[The New Yorker]] |volume=84 |issue=38 |pages=130–131 |url=http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/cinema/2008/11/24/081124crci_cinema_lane |accessdate=16 April 2009}}</ref> Colm Andrew of the [[Manx Independent]] was also full of praise, saying the film "successfully mixes hard-hitting drama with uplifting action and the Who Wants To Be a Millionaire show is an ideal device to revolve events around".<ref>[http://www.iomtoday.co.im/reviews/FILM-Slumdog-Millionaire-.5020366.jp Review by Colm Andrew], IOM Today</ref> Several other reviewers have described ''Slumdog Millionaire'' as a Bollywood-style "[[masala (film genre)|masala]]" movie,<ref>{{cite web |author=Sudhish Kamath |title=The great Indian dream: Why "Slumdog Millionaire", a film made in India, draws crowds in New York |work=The Hindu  |date=17 January 2009 |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/01/17/stories/2009011751051300.htm |accessdate=22 January 2009}}</ref> due to the way the film combines "familiar raw ingredients into a feverish masala"<ref>{{cite web |author=Scott Foundas |title=Fall Film: Slumdog Millionaire: Game Show Masala |work=[[LA Weekly]] |date=12 November 2008 |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2008-11-13/film-tv/game-show-masala-in-slumdog-millionaire |accessdate=22 January 2009}}</ref> and culminates in "the romantic leads finding each other."<ref>{{cite news |author=Greg Quill|title=Slumdog wins hearts here |work=Toronto Star |date=21 January 2009 |url=http://www.thestar.com/Entertainment/article/574394 |accessdate=22 January 2009}}</ref>

Other critics offered more mixed reviews. For example, [[Peter Bradshaw]] of ''[[The Guardian]]'' gave the film three out of five stars, stating that "despite the extravagant drama and some demonstrations of the savagery meted out to  [[street children in India|India's street children]], this is a cheerfully undemanding and unreflective film with a vision of India that, if not touristy exactly, is certainly an outsider's view; it depends for its full enjoyment on not being taken too seriously." He also pointed out that the film is co-produced by [[Celador]], who own the rights to the original ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]'' and claimed that "it functions as a feature-length [[product placement]] for the programme."<ref>{{cite news |author=Peter Bradshaw |title=Slumdog Millionaire |work=The Guardian  |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/jan/09/slumdog-millionaire-review-danny-boyle |accessdate=9 January 2009 |date=9 January 2009 | location=London}}</ref>

A few critics outright panned it. [[Mick LaSalle]] of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' states that, "''Slumdog Millionaire'' has a problem in its storytelling. The movie unfolds in a start-and-stop way that kills suspense, leans heavily on flashbacks and robs the movie of most of its velocity.... [T]he whole construction is tied to a gimmicky narrative strategy that keeps ''Slumdog Millionaire'' from really hitting its stride until the last 30&nbsp;minutes. By then, it's just a little too late."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/11/12/DDU9142B25.DTL| title='Slumdog Millionaire' ultimately pays off|work=San Francisco Chronicle| last=LaSalle| first=Mick|authorlink=Mick LaSalle| date=12 November 2008| accessdate=13 January 2009}}</ref> Eric Hynes of [[IndieWIRE]] called it "bombastic", "a noisy, sub-[[Charles Dickens|Dickens]] update on the romantic tramp's tale" and "a goofy [[picaresque]] to rival ''[[Forrest Gump]]'' in its morality and romanticism."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/review_trivial_pursuit_danny_boyles_slumdog_millionaire/| title=Trivial Pursuit: Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" |publisher=[[IndieWIRE]] |last=Hynes|first=Eric |date=11 November 2008 |accessdate=12 November 2008}}</ref>  FilmMasterAdam from www.webofcinema.com lambasted the film, the praise it received, and the [[Academy Awards]] for giving it the most attention over other movies he personally favoured that year (particularly ''[[The Dark Knight (film)|The Dark Knight]]''), criticising various coincidences in the storytelling and using the theme on destiny as an excuse for the plot structure to be all over the place, underdeveloped characters, generic cinematography, inaccuracies to the requirements necessary to participate in ''[[Who Wants to be a Millionaire?]]'' in real life, compared [[Danny Boyle]]'s directing style to that of [[Michael Bay]] (a filmmaker that he has a strong hatred for), and the fact that it was advertised as a feel-good movie despite the subject matter it portrayed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webofcinema.com/apps/videos/videos/show/13426875-request-of-the-week-6-slumdog-millionaire |title=Request Of The Week #6: Slumdog Millionaire |publisher=Web Of Cinema |accessdate=4 August 2012}}</ref>

===Reactions from India and the Indian diaspora===
{{Main|Reactions from India and the Indian diaspora to Slumdog Millionaire}}

''Slumdog Millionaire'' has been a subject of discussion among a variety of people in India and the [[Non-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin|Indian diaspora]]. Some film critics have responded positively to the film. At the same time, others objected to issues such as Jamal's use of [[British English]] or the fact that similar films by Indian filmmakers have not received equal recognition. A few notable filmmakers such as [[Aamir Khan]] and [[Priyadarshan]] have been critical of the film. Author and critic [[Salman Rushdie]] argues that it has "a patently ridiculous conceit."<ref name="pickle">{{cite news|title=A Fine Pickle|work=The Guardian | last=Rushdie| first=Salman| date=28 February 2009| accessdate=1 March 2009 | location=London}}</ref>

[[Adoor Gopalakrishnan]], arguably the most acclaimed film maker in India, a five time Best Director award winner of the [[Indian National Film Awards]]&mdash;the highest film awards in India&mdash;lambasted Slumdog Millionaire, calling it in an interview to NDTV: "A very [[anti-India]]n film. All the bad elements of Mumbai commercial cinema are put together and in a very a slick way. And it underlines and endorses what the west thinks about of us. It is falsehood built up on falsehood. And at every turn is fabricated. At every turn it is built on falsehood. I was ashamed to see it was being appreciated widely in the west...Fortunately Indians are turning it down."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Eav_Xnk-I |title=Adoor Gopalakrishnan - Exclusive Interview on NDTV Hindu Night Vision- Part 3 - 3 |publisher=YouTube |date=18 July 2009 |accessdate=28 February 2013}}</ref><ref>NDTV Night Vision, Interview of Adoor Gopalkrishnan, 14 July 2009</ref>

=== Academic criticism ===
The film has been subject to serious academic criticism. Mitu Sengupta (2009 and 2010) raises substantial doubts about both the realism of the film's portrayal of urban [[poverty in India]] and whether the film will assist those arguing for the poor. Rather, Sengupta argues the film's "reductive view" of such slums is likely to reinforce negative attitudes to those who live there. The film is therefore likely to support policies that have tended to further dispossess the slum dwellers in terms of material goods, power and dignity. The film, it is also suggested, celebrates characters and places that might be seen as symbolic of Western culture and models of development.<ref>Sengupta, Mitu (2010) A Million Dollar Exit from the Anarchic Slum-world: Slumdog Millionaire's hollow idioms of social justice, ''Third World Quarterly'' Vol. 31, Iss. 4</ref><ref>Sengupta, Mitu (2009) Slumdog Millionaire, ‘Hollow message’, ''Frontline'', 26(6) pp 14–27</ref>

However, there are others who point to the changing urban aspirations and prospects for mobility that can be seen in Indian cities such as Mumbai in which the film is set. The film is seen by D. Parthasarathy (2009) as reflecting a larger context of global cultural flows, which implicates issues of labour, status, ascription-achievement, and poverty in urban India. Parthasarathy (2009) argues for a better understanding of issues of dignity of labour and that the film should be interpreted in a more nuanced way as reflecting the role of market forces and India’s new service economy in transforming the caste and status determined opportunity structure in urban India.<ref>Parthasarathy, D (2009) Of Slumdogs, Doxosophers, and the (In)dignity of Labour(ers), http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2096954</ref>

=== Controversies ===
{{Main|Controversial issues surrounding Slumdog Millionaire}}

''Slumdog Millionaire'' has stirred [[Controversial issues surrounding Slumdog Millionaire|controversy]] on a few issues including the welfare and [[Illegal housing in India|illegal housing]] of its child actors and its portrayals of Indian communities.

==Soundtrack==
{{Main|Slumdog Millionaire: Music from the Motion Picture}}

The ''Slumdog Millionaire'' soundtrack was composed by [[A. R. Rahman]], who planned the score for over two months and completed it in two weeks.<ref name="rahmannym">{{cite news| url=http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/11/ar_rahman_on_slumdogs_sound.html| title=Composer A.R. Rahman on the Sounds of 'Slumdog Millionaire' and Being M.I.A.'s Idol| work=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]| last=Hill| first=Logan| date=12 November 2008| accessdate=14 November 2008}}</ref> Danny Boyle has said that he chose Rahman because "not only does he draw on [[Indian classical music]], but he's got [[R&B]] and [[hip hop]] coming in from America, [[house music]] coming in from Europe and this incredible fusion is created."<ref name=Jivani /> Rahman won the 2009 [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score]] and won two out of three nominations for the [[81st Academy Awards nominees and winners|Academy Award]]s, including one for [[Academy Award for Original Music Score|Best Original Score]] and one for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] for [[Jai Ho (song)|Jai Ho]]. The song "[[O... Saya]]" got a nomination shared with [[M.I.A. (artist)|M.I.A.]], and the song "[[Jai Ho (song)|Jai Ho]]" won the Oscar, which Rahman shared with lyricist [[Gulzar (lyricist)|Gulzar]]. The soundtrack was released on M.I.A.'s record label [[N.E.E.T. (label)|N.E.E.T.]]. On [[Radio Sargam]], film critic Goher Iqbal Punn termed the soundtrack Rahman's "magnum opus" which will acquaint "the entire world" with his artistry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radiosargam.com/films/archives/31928/movie-review-slumdog-millionaire.html |title=Review: Slumdog Millionaire |author=Goher Iqbal Punn |date=25 January 2009 |publisher=[[Radio Sargam]] |accessdate=24 May 2009}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{note label|footnote_1|i|i}} Specifically, in the Kumar article, Boyle referred to ''[[Deewaar (1975 film)|Deewaar]]'' (1975) by [[Yash Chopra]] and [[Salim-Javed]], ''[[Satya (film)|Satya]]'' (1998) and ''[[Company (2002 film)|Company]]'' (2002) by [[Ram Gopal Verma]], and ''[[Black Friday (2004 film)|Black Friday]]'' (2004) by [[Anurag Kashyap (director)|Anurag Kashyap]].
*{{note label|footnote_2|ii|ii}} Some of the other Indian films cited by Boyle as reference points for the film include [[Satyajit Ray]]'s ''[[Pather Panchali (film)|Pather Panchali]]'' (1955), [[Mira Nair]] films such as ''[[Salaam Bombay!]]'' (1988), [[Ashutosh Gowarikar]]'s ''[[Lagaan]]'' (2001), and [[Aamir Khan]]'s ''[[Taare Zameen Par]]'' (2007).
{{Refend}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote|Slumdog Millionaire}}
* {{Official website|http://www.slumdogmillionairemovie.co.uk}}
* {{IMDb title|1010048}}
* {{AFI film|id=64756|title=Slumdog Millionaire}}
* {{AllRovi movie|415379}}
* {{Mojo title|slumdogmillionaire}}
* {{Metacritic film|slumdog-millionaire}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|slumdog_millionaire}}

{{Danny Boyle}}
{{Simon Beaufoy}}
{{Navboxes | title = Awards for ''Slumdog Millionaire'' | list =
{{AcademyAwardBestPicture 2001-2020}}
{{BAFTA Best Film 2001-2020}}
{{Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Film}}
{{BIFA BestBritishFilm}}
{{European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film}}
{{GoldenGlobeBestMotionPictureDrama 2001-2020}}
{{Satellite Award Best Motion Picture}}
{{ScreenActorsGuildAward CastMotionPicture 2001-2020}}
}}
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