(Photo Courtesy of cdawgsworld.com)
Orphaned, without hope, and living in the slums, Mumbai teen, Jamal Malik possesses memories of a tragic childhood and lost love. If anything, Jamal from a human standpoint does embody the title of “slumdog.” He grew up very poor and quite helpless. At the beginning of the film, this main character loses his mother to the savage attacks of an anti-Muslim rampage. She is brutally murdered, leaving Jamal and his older brother Salim to survive the Indian streets alone.
Fleeing the violence, the two young brothers seek out shelter just to pass the night. Amidst their travels, they stumble upon a girl, Latika, who is alone and desperate as well. Because of his tender heart, Jamal begs his brother, Salim to let her accompany them. However the older Malik is strictly concerned with survival and has no desire for the young girl to join them. Yet, Jamal has his way and Latika joins them, becoming their third musketeer.
(Photo Courtesy of Movie Mobsters)
Later the three meet up with a crafty gangster, Maman who
exploits the children, forcing them to sing and beg for money. This wicked man recognizes the talent Jamal has, and tries to set up a trap in which he will blind the young boy so that he will make more money on the streets. Salim, however, discovers Maman’s intentions and urges the younger Malik to flee with him.
Successfully escaping, the two Malik brothers spend the next two years aboard trains. Pick-pocketing and selling goods provide them with a deceptive means of livelihood. Finding shelter in the luggage areas, the two boys safely pass their nights and later emerge as adolescents on the grounds of the tracks a few years later.
However, Latika is not present at this point in the film. Salim intentionally left her behind in the evil clutches of Maman. Because of this selfish decision, this young girl experiences some very dark days which we will soon discover.
If only the “third musketeer” had not been left behind.
