‘Slumdog’ closing in on Oscars glory

Hollywood: Final preparations for the Oscars are being made, with uplifting drama “Slumdog Millionaire” poised to romp home in the race for the coveted best picture prize.
The red carpet was being vacuumed and streets surrounding Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre were sealed off to the public with the 81st edition of the Academy Awards less than 24 hours away.
The build-up to this year’s ceremony has been dominated by the Bollywood-inspired “Slumdog”, which has dominated other awards shows and is considered the overwhelming favourite for the best picture statuette.
Although period drama “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” will start the night with the most nominations, 13, compared to 10 for “Slumdog,” experts say that British director Danny Boyle’s film is unbeatable.
“It would be the biggest upset in modern Oscars history to see ‘Slumdog’ lose,” said Pete Hammond, a veteran awards season pundit and Maxim film critic.
“It hasn’t stumbled once this awards season. It has had an unprecedented sweep. It’s the equivalent of the perfect season in football or baseball.”
Pundits say “Slumdog” has delighted audiences with its rags-to-riches plot about a Mumbai teaboy who rises out from poverty and enters a television quiz show to win millions and be reunited with the love of his life.
The against-the-odds triumph of the film’s central character is mirrored by the movie’s improbable march towards Oscars glory. Made for only 15 million dollars, the film features a cast of unknown actors and is partially subtitled.
British bookmakers William Hill have priced the film at 1/10, making it one of the shortest price best picture contenders in history.
“It’s always been our theory that at the end of the day Hollywood is about putting bums on seats and that this year, an uplifting feel-good movie like ‘Slumdog’ would be the clear favourite,” spokesman Rupert Adams said.Other rivals in the best picture category are “Benjamin Button,” political drama “Frost/Nixon,” biopic “Milk” and Holocaust drama “The Reader.”