norulezz00
The movie aptly portrays the harsh reality of slums of Mumbai and in itself is an act of bravery as it depicts the real India which we Indians knowingly ignore. 113 minutes of beautifully crafted drama through which you experience the life of characters through their eyes. This was my first Mira Nair movie and I must admit this by far was the best Indian movie i have ever watched. Nana Patekar who no doubt is one of the most talented actors gives at par performance as Baba(the pimp) and there are moments when you feel frustrated but sadly you slowly accept the situation and life of street kids, prostitutes and junkies who are trapped in vicious cycle and there is no escape. Movie is very different from the traditional Indian movies and a must watch for intense drama lovers.
varghesejunior
Maybe this film was meant to be different and award winning, but I found it to be a real Bore.The film basically focuses on the lives of street children in Bombay-how they come up, how they survive. That is all. The screenplay is good, story is different, there are no songs, film is kid of explicit...but real real boring....I barely withstood it for the entire length. Even the end was somewhat confusing for me. I could not understand it.Nana is generally great actor but in this film, his acting is not so remarkable. Would not recommend.
Jigeeshu Joshi
I belong to India and born in the city of Bombay(Mumbai) itself. This is for me by far the best Bollywood (Hindi) movie i have watched. I do not agree that Bombay is all about what is depicted in this movie. There is also brighter and prosperous side but, what is shown, is also not false.It is a movie about a small village boy(Krishna) who ends up in Bombay after being left behind by his circus troupe at his village. In Bombay, he ends up in company of people who is feared by all parents. He stays in slum near a local railway station. His best friend(Chillum) is a drug addict, who ultimately dies leaving behind nothing but sorrow and despair. Krishna's love is a prostitute who is hoaxed and sold to a rich man. Krishna makes every effort to support his friend and love and earn himself some money to return home but in vain. For him, life is a serious of disappointments only broken by short spells of joy.The movie honestly reveals that sadly sometimes in life, especially for the poor, happy ending never comes.
E Canuck
The hype around Slumdog Millionaire--which I found only okay, made me want to see Salaam Bombay, again and see if it was the superior film about a similar milieu in India I remembered from decades ago. It isn't--it's better than I remember. I must have grown a higher tolerance for cinema verite and the heartaches of poor children than I had when I first saw this.Part of this might have been fostered by my recent enjoyment of a documentary of notable similarity to Salaam Bombay--Born into Brothels (also excellent.) What's more enjoyable than I had remembered is the rich colour and cinematography, the depth of character -- no throw-away stereotypes -- and the masterful depiction of place.DVD extras we watched so far were poignant, especially the one about the actor who played the main character, Shafiq Sayed, who didn't have an easy life even after the success of the film.
AD
