The re-release of Mira Nair’s unflinching 1988 story of street children, prostitutes and drug dealers shows it has lost none of its power
Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay! from 1988 was developed through journalistic research into the street children of Mumbai with her screenwriting partner Sooni Taraporevala; now it is re-released and what strikes you is not simply its energy and vitality and its Dickensian storytelling appetite, but its fierce unsentimentality. This is a movie that withholds the resolution for which the audience might find itself longing, showing only how street children cannot imagine their own future as street adults, seeing only imprisonment or death. I found myself contrasting Garth Davis’s recent film Lion from 2017, about the true story of a street kid who fell asleep on a train and finds himself transported thousands of miles away to Kolkata without any means of getting back or explaining to the uncaring officialdom what has happened.
Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay! from 1988 was developed through journalistic research into the street children of Mumbai with her screenwriting partner Sooni Taraporevala; now it is re-released and what strikes you is not simply its energy and vitality and its Dickensian storytelling appetite, but its fierce unsentimentality. This is a movie that withholds the resolution for which the audience might find itself longing, showing only how street children cannot imagine their own future as street adults, seeing only imprisonment or death. I found myself contrasting Garth Davis’s recent film Lion from 2017, about the true story of a street kid who fell asleep on a train and finds himself transported thousands of miles away to Kolkata without any means of getting back or explaining to the uncaring officialdom what has happened.
- 6/17/2021
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Similar News
“He had to be celibate to protect the purity of his instrument”: Did Tom Cruise’s First Wife Mimi Rogers Scramble to Retract Her Statement to Protect Her $4M Divorce Money?
- 4/14/2024
- by Priya Sharma
- FandomWire
Predator v Prey Season 1 Episode 1 Lion Airs April 20 2024 on BBC America
- 4/13/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
‘Written In The Stars’: Fawzia Mirza Set To Direct Australian Book Adaptation Feature Starring Menik Gooneratne; Sales To Launch At Cannes Film Festival
- 4/9/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
“There’s a lot of talk, but I need to do”: Nicole Kidman Hasn’t Forgotten Her Hollywood Promise That She Actually Delivers Unlike Natalie Portman
- 3/20/2024
- by Santanu Roy
- FandomWire
Celebrating Women Filmmakers From Guneet Monga To Prerna Arora Who Made Their Mark In Indian Cinema
- 3/8/2024
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Netflix Announces 2023 Women of Color Incubator Class (Exclusive)
- 3/1/2024
- by Diego Ramos Bechara
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros In Talks To Acquire Hot Thriller Spec ‘The Bet’ From Javier Gullón; 42 To Produce
- 3/25/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Final Oscar Predictions: Adapted Screenplay – Will Cord Jefferson’s Debut Script Overcome ‘Barbenheimer?’
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Final Oscar Predictions: Best Director – Christopher Nolan is Locked and Loaded With ‘Oppenheimer’
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.