Unanswered Questions

Yesterday, Hubby dear and I went out on a date. It is uncustomary for us to do so on a week night. The cause of this break in our routine was ‘Slum Dog Millionaire’. A capitivating movie. A heart warming love story set in the slums of Bombay ( Yes, I still prefer Bombay over Mumbai).

With first class acting and flawless portrayals of the characters, this movie draws the audience into the streets of India’s financial capital, with all its color, corruption and mafia. Perhaps the most appealing about this film, are the three main characters Jamal, Salim and Latika, who are heartbreakingly portrayed by three unknown but extremely bright and talented actors. There are a few gut-wrenching scenes of how the boys survive life in the slums, particularly the part when they are forced into beggary on the streets of Bombay. With documentary style cinematography, Danny Boyle, the director (of ‘Trainspotting’ fame) did a fantastic job in keeping it real.

I came away feeling happy for the protagonists yet sad for the large number of children who are forced into begging. Child beggary in India is a racket, a bondage that has indeed become the bane of modern India. A lot of us snub at these helpless, sometimes physically disabled kids as they knock at our car window panes but do we ever give a thought as to what compelled them to beg? Most of the time they are screamed at or shooed away, but is it possible that they are being harassed and victimized? Often times, that is the case.

This movie opened my eyes even more to this growing problem. On my last trip to India, there were numerous occasions when we came face to face with kids raising their little hands against our car window. D was completely intrigued and at times scared but he had a lot of questions about these children, some we had no answers to. We gave away packets of biscuits that my friend thoughtfully stacked her car with, simply for this very reason but as I gave them away, I felt helpless, rather powerless and when I looked at their sad, filthy yet innocent faces, it made me question about the inequalities of life. What did they do to deserve this pitiful life? I could have been one of them. Why wasn’t I? What made me qualify for the life I have-this plentiful life, full of promise, love and hope? Why were they deprived of this opportunity? Why? Why?

Questions I still grapple with, questions that will forever remain unanswered.