Director Danny Boyle has taken another intriguing career turn with his latest film, Slumdog Millionaire, which is said to be the feel good movie of the decade.

This is the story about an 18 year old boy named Jamal, played by British-born actor Dev Patel. Jamal is about to answer the final question in India’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and has the chance to win 20 Million Rupees. However, the show’s host, Prem (Anil Kapoor), cannot get to grips with how a boy from the slums can know all the answers.

Prem has the police waiting for Jamal after the show. During the inquiry, Jamal tells the incredible story about his life in the slums of Mumbai. The police inspector in charge is played by none other than Irrfan Khan (The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Darjeeling Limited). Jamal’s stories of his not so pleasant childhood ties in with the answers he gives on the game show, and illustrates the hardships he endured in his young life.

Jamal, his older brother Salim and the neighbour’s daughter Latika attempt to resume a normal life after Hindu extremist’s burn down their homes. The young girl becomes a big part in Jamal’s determination to winning the game show.

The script by Simon Beaufoy is adapted from a novel by Vikas Swarup and is effortlessly displayed through the fast-paced links between past and present.

Danny Boyle, director of Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Sunshine, is known for never making the same movie twice. However, the relationship between Jamal and his brother in this ‘rags to rajah’ storyline is a bit similar to that of Boyle’s Millions, which also deals with two brothers growing up together in a less fortunate environment.

Most of the film was shot on location as Boyle tried to capture the essence of Mumbai. In an interview he acknowledges that the poor people of Mumbai do not want to be seen as poor, but much rather as a people, giving their children the motivation and support to become somebody.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji train station, where the final dance number takes place during the end-credits of Slumdog Millionaire, was sadly subject to the Mumbai terror attacks in November.

Slumdog Millionaire is due to release in UK cinemas this month.

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