Anil Kapoor dismisses `Slumdog Millionaire` criticism

Macau, June 15: `Slumdog Millionaire` star Anil Kapoor Saturday dismissed criticisms of the Oscar-winning film, saying he did not agree with "any part" of them."There are people who are proud of the film, who respect the film and who cherish every moment of the film," said Kapoor, who was speaking at a workshop for film students on the sidelines of the 10th International Indian Film Academy awards weekend here.

The actor was referring to the media storm that first broke in India after fellow Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan had opened up his personal blog to debate on whether "Slumdog Millionaire" gave a true representation of life in Mumbai. Some replies had decried the film -- which charts the improbable rise of beggar who enters a TV quiz show and wins millions -- as portraying the city as a "Third World dirty underbelly". And there has been no escaping the shadow cast by "Slumdog" at Indian cinema`s grandest event either, even though the film was essentially a British-driven production funded by Hollywood money. Three of the young stars of the film are in town, along with Kapoor and its Oscar-winning sound engineer Resul Pookutty. "I have tried to analyse why (the film has attracted criticism)," said Kapoor. "But that`s what makes art interesting. There has to be agreement and disagreement. That`s what makes art -- any form of art -- exciting." The 49-year-old Kapoor is a veteran of more than 100 Indian films but said all that experience still had not prepared him for the reaction to "Slumdog". "The best part of working on `Slumdog Millionaire` was that when we started no one expected it to become such a huge success," he said. "No one was expecting it was going to be one of the biggest successes all over the world. It the long run it might touch half a billion dollars (in box office takings). "Then it went on to win eight Oscars. I think it`s one of the four or five films in the history of world cinema that has got this kind of success." Reflecting on his own three-decade career, Kapoor -- who picked up a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role as the quiz show host in "Slumdog" -- told students he hoped to set an example for those just starting out in the film industry. "I never imagined that I would become a star, I just wanted to work," he said. "And if I worked on `Slumdog Millionaire` or with (director) Danny Boyle, I went in thinking I might learn something, rather than thinking about how much money I might make or that this film is going to make me into a huge star. "You just have to keep on working and doing your best. And that`s what I`ve done. I just keep on working." Bureau Report