We wouldn't be able to make that now: Danny Boyle on 'Slumdog Millionaire'

ANI June 21, 2025 283 views

Danny Boyle admits his Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire couldn't be made today due to shifting cultural perspectives. The director stands by the film's achievements but recognizes modern limitations on such projects. Boyle reflects on the production's challenges and his outsider perspective while filming in Mumbai. The filmmaker is now focused on his new project, the zombie sequel 28 Years Later.

"You wouldn't even contemplate doing something like that today. It wouldn't even get financed." – Danny Boyle
Washington DC, June 20: Filmmaker Danny Boyle may have won a best picture Oscar for his 2008 film 'Slumdog Millionaire', but the director believes they wouldn't be able to make that film in present time, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Key Points

1

Boyle acknowledges changing cultural sensitivities in filmmaking

2

Director defends Slumdog's production approach but calls it flawed

3

Film won 8 Oscars including Best Picture and Director

4

Boyle returns with 28 Years Later sequel

The 28 Years Later director reflected on the Oscar-winning film that starred Dev Patel and Freida Pinto.

"Yeah, we wouldn't be able to make that now," he said of the film. "And that's how it should be. It's time to reflect on all that. We have to look at the cultural baggage we carry and the mark that we've left on the world," as per the outlet.

When asked whether the production itself amounted to a form of colonialism, the director denied that but added, "Well, only in the sense that everything is. At the time it felt radical. We made the decision that only a handful of us would go to Mumbai. We'd work with a big Indian crew and try to make a film within the culture. But you're still an outsider. It's still a flawed method. That kind of cultural appropriation might be sanctioned at certain times. But at other times it cannot be."

Boyle shared thae he is "proud of the film" but noted, "You wouldn't even contemplate doing something like that today. It wouldn't even get financed. Even if I was involved, I'd be looking for a young Indian film-maker to shoot it," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

At the time, 'Slumdog Millionaire' was a box office hit and went on to earn 10 Oscar nominations and win eight Academy Awards at the 2009 ceremony. Boyle won for best director.

On Friday, Boyle returns to theaters with 28 Years Later, a sequel that arrives more than twenty years after he and writer Alex Garland revitalized the zombie genre with 28 Days Later, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.
Slumdog was a great film but it's true - times have changed. Indian filmmakers today are telling our stories with more authenticity. Look at films like 'Dangal' or 'The Kashmir Files' - made by Indians, for global audiences. We don't need outsiders to tell our stories anymore 🇮🇳
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Priya M.
I appreciate Boyle's honesty. The film was entertaining but did show a very narrow view of India - just poverty and slums. Our cinema has evolved so much since 2008! Now we have films showing all aspects of Indian life - from metro cities to villages, rich and poor.
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Amit S.
The film launched Dev Patel's career and gave AR Rahman his Oscars, so can't complain too much 😄 But yes, today we have directors like Rajamouli and Lijo Jose Pellissery who can make world-class cinema without Western validation. Indian cinema has truly come of age!
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Sunita R.
I remember watching Slumdog and feeling conflicted. The story was engaging but something felt... off. Like we were seeing India through foreign eyes. Glad Boyle acknowledges this now. Cultural representation matters - our stories should be told by those who truly understand them.
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Vikram J.
Let's be fair - the film did put Indian talent in global spotlight. But 15 years later, we don't need that kind of validation. Our OTT content is being watched worldwide, South films are breaking records. The narrative has shifted - we're telling our own stories now!

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