A Mumbai teen who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" He is arrested under suspicion of cheating, and while being interrogated, events from his life history are shown which explain why he knows the answers.
The story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's
Kaun Banega Crorepati? (Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?) But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika, the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show's questions. Each chapter of Jamal's increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show's seemingly impossible quizzes. But...
Written by Fox Searchlight Pictures
Frederick W. Stevens' name is on a pillar in the railway station that Jamal sits next to towards the end of the movie. Stevens worked for the British colonial government in Bombay as an architectural engineer and designed the station, known as Victoria Terminus.
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Goofs
Anachronisms:
The trains on which Jamal and Salim escape and live for many days have compartments painted in blue color. The blue color compartments came into existence at a later date. The compartments were painted Red back then.
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Quotes
Jamal Malik:
If it wasn't for Rama and Allah, I'd still have a mother. See more »
Crazy Credits
Several of the cast perform a traditional Bollywood song and dance number set in a train station over the end credits.
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"Paper Planes"
Written by Maya Arulpragasam (as Mathangi Arulpragasam), Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Wesley Pentz, Paul Simonon and Joe Strummer Performed by Maya Arulpragasam Published by Imagen Music, Hollertronix, Domino Publishing Company Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Ltd., Nineden Ltd. Courtesy of XL Recordings Ltd. and Interscope Under licence from Universal Music Operations Ltd.
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