Amitabh blasts 'Slumdog Millionaire' on blog

New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS) Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan has slammed Danny Boyle's Golden Globe award winning underdog drama 'Slumdog Millionaire' for showing India in poor light.

'If 'Slumdog Millionaire' projects India as Third World dirty underbelly developing nation and causes pain and disgust among nationalists and patriots, let it be known that a murky underbelly exists and thrives even in the most developed nations,' Amitabh said in a posting on his blog www.bigb.bigadda.com Wednesday from Paris, France.

'Its just that the 'Slumdog Millioanire' idea authored by an Indian and conceived and cinematically put together by a westerner, gets creative global recognition,' he added.

The 66-year-old also talked about the changing trend in recognition of Indian cinema.

'The commercial escapist world of Indian cinema had vociferously battled for years, on the attention paid and the adulation given to the legendary Satyajit Ray... and not a word of appreciation for the entertaining mass-oriented box office blockbusters that were being churned out from Mumbai.

'Ray portrayed reality. While, the other - escapism, fantasy and incredulous posturing. Unimpressive for Cannes and Berlin and Venice (film festivals),' he explained.

He further wrote: 'But look how rapidly all that is changing. Dedicated TV channels running Hindi cinema on prime timings. Premieres at Leicester Square (referring to 'Chandni Chowk To China'), the home of all Hollywood royalty, thronged by hundreds on the street in cold biting weather.'