Slumdog Millionaire

In 2006, Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an Indian Muslim teenager from the Juhu slum of Mumbai, finds himself at the center of a whirlwind of events as he competes on Kaun Banega Crorepati. Just before answering the final Rs 20 million question, Jamal is subjected to a grueling interrogation by the relentless police constable Srinivas (Saurabh Shukla), who suspects him of cheating and resorts to extreme measures to extract a confession. The inspector's suspicions are fueled by the seemingly impossible feat of a tea supplier from Dharavi rising to Rs 10 million, defying conventional wisdom that only educated professionals can achieve such success.

As Jamal recounts his life story through a series of poignant flashbacks, the audience is transported to the gritty streets of Mumbai, where he lives with his brother Salim and their mother. The brothers' early years are marked by innocence and curiosity, as seen in Jamal's thrilling encounter at five years old, when he jumps into a cesspit to obtain Amitabh Bachchan's autograph, only to have it later sold by Salim.

The traumatic event of their mother's (Sanchita Choudhary) death during the Bombay riots serves as a turning point, and the brothers' subsequent escape from the chaos leads them to meet Latika (Freida Pinto), a spirited young girl from their slum. As they take shelter from the rain, Salim is initially hesitant to accept Latika into their fold, but Jamal's suggestion that she could be their "third musketeer" wins her over.

The trio's journey takes them through various challenges and encounters, including a fateful meeting with Maman (Ankur Vikal), a ruthless gangster who trains street children to beg. The brothers' desperation to escape Maman's clutches leads them to board a moving train, but Latika's inability to keep up results in her recapture by Maman. As the stakes rise and tensions mount, Jamal's past and present collide, setting the stage for a dramatic showdown that will test his resolve and character.

As the years pass, Salim and Jamal continue their nomadic existence, eking out a living by peddling goods, pilfering valuables, and assuming roles as dubious tour guides at the iconic Taj Mahal. With cunning guile, they fleece unsuspecting tourists, occasionally swindling entire vehicles from gullible visitors while Jamal poses as a charlatan guide, promising to reveal the secrets of the world's largest Dhobi Ghat. The unwitting tourists are left bewildered, parting with their hard-earned US dollars in exchange for the brothers' dubious wares.

In their rare moments of respite, they slip into open-air theaters, mesmerized by the rustic performances of Dante's plays, brought to life by local theater troupes. However, amidst these fleeting joys, a burning question begins to gnaw at Jamal: who is the enigmatic figure immortalized on the US $100 bill?

As the brothers' wanderlust eventually brings them back to Mumbai, they set out to locate Latika, only to discover that she has been cruelly conscripted into the world of prostitution by Maman. A chance encounter with a fellow beggar named Arvind at Juhu beach yields a crucial revelation: the $100 bill in Jamal's possession features none other than Benjamin Franklin on its reverse side. Armed with this knowledge, Arvind directs Jamal to Latika's whereabouts.

With Salim's reluctant blessing, they stage a daring rescue mission, culminating in the tragic demise of Maman at the hands of Salim's revolver. As tensions simmer between the brothers, Salim takes up a new role as a loyal enforcer for Javed (Mahesh Manjrekar), a ruthless crime lord. A tense standoff ensues when Salim demands Jamal's leave from Latika's presence, only to be rebuffed by his brother. Latika's gentle persuasion ultimately persuades Jamal to abandon the scene.

Years later, as Jamal navigates the labyrinthine corridors of a call center, now transformed into a chaiwallah, he uncovers the shocking truth about Salim's meteoric rise within Javed's criminal empire. Seizing an opportunity to harness his newfound knowledge of British pop culture, Jamal utilizes the call center software to track down Salim's number.

A series of seemingly innocuous questions – including the origin of the revolver and the UK city hosting the legendary Cambridge Circus – serves as a poignant reminder of the brothers' shared past. As Jamal confronts Salim, he is met with an anguished plea for forgiveness. Undeterred, Jamal follows Salim to Javed's stronghold, only to sneak into the fortress and reunite with Latika, now an accomplished mistress in Javed's orbit.

Latika remains enamored with Kaun Banega Crorepati, while Javed is hopelessly devoted to cricket. Despite her firm rejection of his affections, Jamal vows to wait for her every day at the iconic Victoria Terminus, come rain or shine. In a desperate bid to reconnect with Latika, he becomes a contestant on the popular game show, aware that she is among its avid viewers.

As the threads of fate begin to unravel, Jamal's quest to reclaim Latika sets in motion a catastrophic chain of events, culminating in Salim's ruthless capture and maiming of her. In his darkest moment of despair, Jamal loses all contact with Latika, prompting a final, futile attempt to reconnect – this time by channeling his inner contestant on Kaun Banega Crorepati, his only hope for reuniting with the love of his life.

As Jamal's star rises across India, he becomes the unwitting thorn in the side of Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor), who resorts to underhanded tactics to sabotage Jamal's chances. Kumar's ploy involves feeding Jamal a deliberately incorrect answer to the penultimate question about the most first-class centuries in history. Undeterred, Jamal employs his 50:50 lifeline, which surprisingly includes the misleading option provided by Prem. His correct guess raises suspicions of cheating, and the episode concludes with Jamal's arrest still pending.

The subsequent drama unfolds when a gruff police inspector (Irrfan Khan) initially beats Jamal for his alleged transgressions before listening to his explanations about how he arrived at each answer. Convinced of Jamal's honesty, the officer allows him to rejoin the show. Meanwhile, Latika witnesses Jamal's arrest on the news and feels a pang of guilt over her past behavior towards him. Moved by remorse, Salim (Jamal's friend) gives Latika his phone and car keys, imploring her to forgive him.

After Latika departs, Salim retreats to a symbolic sanctuary - a bathtub overflowing with money - where he awaits Javed's realization of the betrayal that has unfolded. The tension builds as Jamal faces the final question: identifying the third musketeer. With his "Phone-A-Friend" lifeline exhausted, he is left with only one contact - Salim's phone number. Latika answers, reassuring Jamal that she is safe but confesses her ignorance of the correct answer.

Javed, meanwhile, has been tracking Salim's movements and bursts into the bathroom, accompanied by his henchmen. In a desperate bid to protect Latika, Salim sacrifices himself, taking down Javed before succumbing to his attackers. With the weight of guilt lifted from his shoulders, Jamal takes a chance on the first answer - Aramis - and wins the grand prize.

In a poignant finale, Jamal and Latika reunite at the train station platform, where their long-suppressed emotions finally find expression in a tender kiss.