You’ll ponder some questions throughout Jamal’s story, but the real subtext(n.潜台词) of this film is India. Danny Boyle’s visceral(adj.内脏的,出自内心的) film-making drops you right into the streets. Filming hand-held, guerrilla style, on location, Boyle conveys the beauty and extremes of India–from dilapidated(adj.毁坏的) Mumbai shantytowns(n.贫民区) and endless garbage-strewn(v.点缀) landfills to exhilarating(adj.高兴的,振奋的) train journeys and colorful mass riverside laundrettes（自动洗衣店）– in an intimate way.
‘You don’t take [Mumbai] for granted, “ Boyle said in an interview promoting the film. “You know nothing about how it assaults(v.袭击) your senses. For a dynamic film-maker like myself, it’s everything I could ever want.”
That “everything” includes characters. By setting Jamal and his narrative among the country’s lowlifes, degenerates(adj.堕落的), innocents, and angels, Boyle ensures that Jamal’s experiences shock and inspire viewers in equal measure.
“I think one of the reasons the film seems to work for people is that it is very extreme,” Boyle said. “That’s what they have there. You’ve got to portray(v.描绘) it as an extreme experience. Everything is full-on(adj.完全的，彻底的）.”
“It’s a tough place! There’s a lot of poor people living there leading very tough lives. You’ve got portray that accurately. There are beggars who have been crippled(v.使手足致残) deliberately to make them better beggars. You’ve got to get your head around(v.明白,了解) that.”
“You get it rougher in India at the moment,” concluded Boyle, Empire. “It allows you to tell a story like this.”
