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           | Patna, Jan 21 :A man, who claims to fight for the rights   of slum dwellers, has taken the Indian artistes of the acclaimed film "Slumdog   Millionaire" to court, contending that their sensibilities have been offended by   the movie title that he found abusive of people who live in slums.  The case was registered by the chief judicial magistrate   Tuesday against the movie's music director A.R. Rahman, actor Anil Kapoor and   other Indians associated with the film that has won four Golden Globe awards,   including the first Golden Globe for an Indian, music director   Rahman.
 The first hearing of the petition is scheduled Feb   5.
 
 Petitioner Tapeshwar Vishwakarma, general secretary of the Jhuggi   Jhonpdi Sanyukta Sangharsh Samiti (a group promoting the rights of slum   dwellers), has charged those associated with the film of abusing slum dwellers   in the name of entertainment just to earn money and fame.
 
 "Vishwakarma   requested the court to protect the honour and respect of millions of slum   dwellers across India," his lawyer Shruti Singh said.
 
 No charge, however,   was filed against the film's director Danny Boyle, who is a British citizen.
 
 "Vishwakarma made it clear that he hardly expected anything positive   from a British filmmaker as their ancestors described us as dogs. But what hurt   him was that even Indians associated with the film hardly bothered to object to   calling us a slumdog," Shruti Singh said.
 
 The name "is against the basic   human values", she said.
 
 A copy of the petition has been sent to the   National Human Rights Commission, Bihar State Human Rights Commission and the   film Censor Board of the central government.
 
 "I requested Censor Board   chairperson Sharmila Tagore not to permit the release of the film in India under   its present name," Shruti Singh added. The film is slated for release in India   Jan 23.
 (IANS)  
      
     
 comments... The title is nothing but a racist rant. The content of the film would be no different. Manoj Kumar
 manoj.me@gmail.com     |  
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