Slumdog sweeps BAFTA, team hopes for the best at the Oscars

H S Rao

London, Feb 9 (PTI) "Slumdog Millionaire", the feel good
film about a Mumbai tea-boy, swept the BAFTA awards when it
won seven prizes including the Best Music Score for Indian
composer A R Rahman and the Best Film at the prestigious award
function here.

The Danny Boyle-directed film was nominated under 11
categories and won seven, including the Best Director for
Danny Boyle, Best Adapted Screenplay for Simon Beaufoy and
Best Sound Editing for Indian sound technician Resul Pookutty
at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

The underdog winner story with Indian cast and crew is a
strong favourite to win awards at the Oscars on February 22,
where it has been nominated under 10 categories.

"It's getting better and better and let's hope for the
biggest one-the Oscars," said Rahman after winning the award,
which were held at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent
Garden.

Director Danny Boyle said the award was for Mumbai.
"We are hugely indebted for everybody honoured and
those who were nominated tonight, to the people of Mumbai
especially the actors Anil and Irrfan and all the other young
actors who helped us- Ayush and Azhar," said Boyle after
accepting the award for Best director.

British-Indian Dev Patel and Indian actress Frieda Pinto
were also nominated for the Best Actor category and Best
Supporting Actress but lost to Spanish actress Penelope Cruz
and actor Mickey Rourke respectively.

But Patel did not seem disappointed. "Its a thrill for
me. I feel so blessed," said Patel, who plays the protagonist
'Jamaal' in the film.

"To be honest we didn't really think about it. It was
really absolutely fantastic. 'Slumdog...' has completely swept
BAFTA awards and they have accepted it. Everybody is
absolutely exhilarated with what is happening," said Bollywood
actor Anil Kapoor, who plays game-show host Prem Kumar in the
movie.

"With just the way people have responded we have already
become a winner of sorts. Winning the Oscars would be the
cherry on the cake," said film's co-director Loveleen Tandon.

The film was also hailed by star couple Brad Pitt and
Angelina Jolie, who termed it as "lovely film".

Pitt's film, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" was
also nominated under 11 categories at the BAFTA but managed
to win only three awards in the categories-- Production
Design, Make Up and Hair and Special Visual Effects.

"It is nice to see such reaction in America and we are
opening up to other cultures in the world," said Pitt, who
lost to "The Wrestler" star Mickey Rourke in the Best Actor
category at the BAFTA.

The other top winners at the star-studded ceremony were
British actress Kate Winslet and late actor Heath Ledger.

Winslet, who has already bagged two Golden Globe awards,
picked up the BAFTA in the Leading Actress category for her
role as a former Nazi prison camp guard in "The Reader". She
had previously won the BAFTA in 1995.

Australian actor Heath Ledger, who died last year due to
an accidental overdose of prescribed drugs, received a
posthumous BAFTA nod for Best Supporting Actor for his
villainous performance as 'the Joker' in Batman movie, "The
Dark Knight". Ledger has also won an award at the Golden
Globes and is a strong favourite for the Oscars as well.

Spanish actress Penelope Cruz won the Best Supporting
Actress award for her role in Woody Allen's film "Vicky
Cristina Barcelona".

Comedy film "In Bruges" won the award for Best Original
Screenplay, while "I've Loved You So Long" was awarded the
prize for Best Non-English language film.

James Marsh's "Man on Wire" won the BAFTA for outstanding
British film.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards
are considered the Oscars of Britain and are now seen as an
indicator of probable winners at the Academy awards. PTI BK
RAI
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