Almost Impossible To Make Slumdog Millionaire Today, Says Director Danny Boyle

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Slumdog Millionaire revolves around the story of a boy from Mumbai's Juhu slums who lands on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Nearly two decades after Slumdog Millionaire made history at the Oscars, director Danny Boyle is reflecting on the film and its impact. The story of a boy from Mumbai's Juhu slums who lands on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? It became a global hit and won eight Academy Awards in 2009.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Boyle said the film couldn't be made today. 'We wouldn't be able to make that now. And that's how it should be," he said.
Boyle said it is 'time to reflect" on a British director telling a story based in India. 'We have to look at the cultural baggage we carry and the mark that we've left on the world." He added that Slumdog Millionaire 'felt radical" at the time it was made, nearly 20 years ago.
He explained that only a few crew members from the UK travelled to Mumbai. The rest of the team was local. The goal was to work within Indian culture.
'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. That kind of cultural appropriation might be sanctioned at certain times. But at other times it cannot be," he said.
Boyle also mentioned that if such a film were made today, he would want a young Indian filmmaker to direct it.
Despite the challenges, Boyle said he was 'proud of the film." Along with actors Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal and Anil Kapoor, the film's success brought Boyle into the spotlight as a major director.
But he said he never wanted to become a typical Hollywood name. 'It all comes back to punk, really. Not that my work is truly revolutionary or radical… I believe in popular entertainment. I want to push the boat out, but take the popular audience with me," he said.
Boyle's latest film, 28 Years Later, is now in theatres. It is the third installment in the 28 Days Later series, following 28 Days Later (2002) and 28 Weeks Later (2007). The film, written by Alex Garland, stars Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams and Ralph Fiennes. Boyle said real-world events like Brexit and the COVID pandemic played a big role in shaping the story this time.
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