Poverty and riches, hate and love, evil and good, torture and pleasure are all glued together by a set of flash-backs linked to tension filled answers by questions posed in the Indian version of Who Wants to be A Millionaire? The contrived thriller-melodrama works a treat as our thinking man-orphaned-hero, Jamal, isn’t on the quiz show for the money, but to win his beautiful childhood sweetheart, Latika from the clutches of a malevolent crime boss. The warts, wealth and class distinctions of modern day Moombi are vividly captured, laid on with Bollywood panache, a Dickensian set of characters, a rags to riches scenerio and atmospheric Indian music, capped off by a leap-for-joy dance sequence during the concluding credits. If you don’t have a big smile on your face after this one, something’s wrong.

this one knocked me out. i especially love a script that wastes nothing; this one is driven by both plot and character. it's smart, funny, moving and thrilling, as well as providing a multi-layered portrait of life in india, especially relating to the slums of mumbai. you need a big screen to get the most out of the scenery. final credits a real winner too.

Great movie. It has a bit of everything in it. I have heard mixed reports of the portrayal of the life in India, but for this movie, it fits in very well. You must watch the ending. Found it hard to take it seriously after that.