1. Does the film aestheticize (romanticize, make beautiful) the slums of
Mumbai?
I do not believe the film aestheticized the slums of Mumbai. From the very
beginning you see the filthiness and poverty of the slums. One particular scene
that stands out in my mind is that of Jamal literally jumping into a hole that
the people used as a toilet. It was disgusting, but in a way it represented the
atmosphere that he lived in every day. The streets and homes of the slums were
not shown as being clean or luxurious in any way. One scene that showed a
violent side of the slums was the scene in which Jamal's mother was killed. She
was killed during some sort of religious attack. This did not aestheticize the
slums, but showed it as an unsafe place. Not just one person was in danger, but
every woman, man, and child was in need of protection. There was not one time where I felt the slums were made
beautiful or romanticized. The film did a wonderful job of capturing the
reality of Mumbai and its people.
The Real Slums of Mumbai
According to the United Nations, one billion people worldwide live in slums, and 55% of the population of Mumbai lives in slums, which cover only 6-8% of the city’s land.
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Mumbai is the most populated city in the world with approximately 14 million people living in the proper city itself, not including areas considered the urban area or the metropolitan area.
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With a surface Area of 603 (km²). The Population density in Mumbai is 23,088 (/km²)
Mumbai is the most populated city in the world with approximately 14 million people living in the proper city itself, not including areas considered the urban area or the metropolitan area.
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With a surface Area of 603 (km²). The Population density in Mumbai is 23,088 (/km²)
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Approximately 7 million people live in slums in Mumbai.
Approximately 7 million people live in slums in Mumbai.
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It is said that 72.48% of this slum population is literate.
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Dharavi, Asia’s second largest slum is located in central Mumbai and houses a population of between 600,000 and 1 million people.
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Roughly about one-third of the world’s poor people live in India. More than 450 million Indians exist on less than $1.25 a day, according to the World Bank.
It is said that 72.48% of this slum population is literate.
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Dharavi, Asia’s second largest slum is located in central Mumbai and houses a population of between 600,000 and 1 million people.
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Roughly about one-third of the world’s poor people live in India. More than 450 million Indians exist on less than $1.25 a day, according to the World Bank.
(All data from indiamarks.com)
Check out this book Beautiful Forevers' to take a closer look at the slums of Mumbai.
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