The 2008 film starred Dev Patel as 18-year-old Jamal, who wins the grand prize on India’s version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? by mining his own life experience for the correct answers to the host’s questions. It received widespread critical acclaim at the time (including eight Oscars) but also invited criticism, with some accusing the film of pedaling in “poverty porn.”
When asked in this week’s interview if he thought the film was a form of colonialism, Boyle answered, “No, no… Well, only in the sense that everything is.” He continued, “At the time it felt radical. We made the decision that only a handful of us would go to Mumbai. We’d work with a big Indian crew and try to make a film within the culture. But you’re still an outsider. It’s still a flawed method.” Boyle does admit that “that kind of cultural appropriation might be sanctioned at certain times. But at other times it cannot be.”
“I mean, I’m proud of the film, but you wouldn’t even contemplate doing something like that today. It wouldn’t even get financed,” he concluded. “Even if I was involved, I’d be looking for a young Indian filmmaker to shoot it.”
Zombified Britain is more in the filmmakers lane. “Of course real world events were a big influence this time around,” Boyle shared of 28 Years Later, a sequel to his groundbreaking 2002 zombie flick, 28 Days Later. “Brexit is a transparency that passes over this film, without a doubt.” 28 Years Later is now playing in theaters.
