Slumdog emerges as Bookies` favourite to win Oscars

London, Jan 13 (PTI) With a successful run at the Golden
Globe Awards, British director Danny Boyle's Mumbai-based
story of an underdog, Slumdog Millionaire, has emerged as a
clear favourite with bookies to win the next month's Oscars.

Bookies here put the feel-good movie starring Bollywood
actors Anil Kapoor and Irrfan Khan at 8/15 on to scoop the
coveted Best Picture prize at the Academy Awards, well in
front of rivals 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button', 'Milk',
'Frost/Nixon' and 'Revolutionary Road'.

The film's director Danny Boyle is also 4-6 favourite to
win the best director trophy at the February 22 ceremony.

A spokesman for bookmakers Paddy power said: "Slumdog
Millionaire has been heavily backed for the last couple of
weeks and, after its success at the Golden Globes, it looks
set for Oscars glory."

The low-budget flick about an orphan from the Mumbai
slums who strikes it rich on the Indian version of Who Wants
To Be A Millionaire? was released in the UK on Friday.

In the US, where it was released last year, the film has
already generated over USD 30 million at the box office
despite being on limited release.

Slumdog Millionaire currently sits at number two in the
top ten in the UK, with the highest screen average of all
films on release 5,640 pounds (USD 8,320).

The film won four prestigious Golden Globe awards for
Best Picture in the Drama category, Best Director for Danny
Boyle, best Screenplay for Simon Beaufoy and Best Original
Score in a Motion Picture for Indian Composer A R Rahman.

Based on Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup's Q & A, the film
also won five prizes at the Los Angeles Critics choice Awards
on Friday, including Best Picture, Best director, Best Writer,
Best Composer and Best Young Actor for Dev Patel. PTI