An Analysis Of The Slumdog Millionaire From The Perspective Of Orientalism

In 2009, the film, The Slumdog Millionaire, which is about India, received ten nominations, won eight Oscar Awards, and finally became the most popular and successful film, which aroused great controversies between the western audience and Indian audience. The western audience thought this film authentically and vividly represented the life of the Indian poor, while Indians thought it was the uglification of their country.Said believes the Occidental knowledge, feeling, opinion, writing and speaking of the Orient is actually the discourse system over the Orient—Orientalism. Therefore, this thesis analyzes India's images in the Hollywood movie, The Slumdog Millionaire and argues that India is demonized, mystified and belittled from the perspective of Orientalism. This thesis is divided into three parts. The first one is used to analyze the demonized images of India in the film, which is proved from backward India and barbaric India. The second one is used to analyze the mystified images of India, which is proved from two sub-parts, exotic India and unbelievable Indians. The third one focuses on analyzing the belittled images of India, which is proved from the weakness of India, the hero as a coward and the absence of India.Based on the analysis of India's images in the film, The Slumdog Millionaire, the author aims to discuss India is constructed from the perspective of Orientalism and proves the so-called"true reflection"is the cover for the construction of the East made by the West.