Slumdog Millionaire

            
 The movie Slumdog Millionaire participates in gendered discourses through the character Latika by portraying her sexually available, exotic and passive. The male characters in the film all have a strong presence and character, but Latika is only seen through her interaction with Salim and Jamal. Salim sees Latika as a burden and a sexual desire; he shows disgust towards Jamal’s need to protect her and their friendship. In the scene at the deserted hotel, Latika shows her passiveness when she willingly gives herself to Salim in order to protect Jamal, and further instill Salim’s dominance over her. Throughout the film Latika continues to be a victim to different men, and her only trait desired by men is her sexuality. The scene where Jamal goes to the brothel to find Latika, he looks through a crack in the door and sees her dancing in exotic Indian attire; I believe this scene captures her exotic sensuality. Latika is the damsel and Jamal is her hero/prince throughout the film. I feel that Latika’s character is only defined through her relationship with Jamal, and her constant need for a savior. Latika is the girlfriend of the head mobster of Mumbai, and is treated like a slave and is beaten by him. She moved up from the slums to the riches of Mumbai through her beauty and sexual desire from men, but is never treated with respect or seen as anything more than an object. Latika is exotic and beautiful, but lacks any true depth which is how “native women” are portrayed through gendered discourses. 

I chose this video because it is the video to a song from Slumdog Millionaire's soundtrack, and it also illustrates the eroticism that Latika's character depicts in the film. Just as Latika is portrayed in the film, these women are seen nothing more than sexual desires to the men watching them dance. 

Slums

 Another topic I didn't discuss in the blog above is the slums of Mumbai, and how they are depicted in the film. I find it interesting although it as shown as filthy and decrepit, it also is shown with so much color and so much life. Even in the photo above the hints of blue and orange in a way make it captivating.  I found an article about the slum where the film was shot, and those who live in the slum were not happy about the film or its release. 
 Slumdog Greeting