1. Mira Nair and Salaam Bombay

2. Introduction to Mira Nair
Born in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa in 1957 (middle class family)
Attended the University of New Delhi (Sociology and Theater)
Went to Harvard in 1976 (Sociology)

3. Films by Mira Nair Jama Masjid Street Journal (1979)
So Far From India (1982)
India Cabaret (1985)
Children of a Desired Sex (1987)
Salaam Bombay (1988)
Mississippi Masala (1991)
The Perez Family (1993)
Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1997)
My Own Country (1998)
Monsoon Wedding (2001)
Vanity Fair (2004)

4. Salaam Bombay
Awards:
the New Director's Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1988 an Academy Award nomination for best foreign film in 1989
A departure from Bollywood
Are there any traces of Bollywood influence in the film?

5. Major Themes in Salaam Bombay
Growth and coming of age
Migratory identity: people drifted to the metropolis (ex) shots of the train station
Desire for home: Krishna tries to write home (needs 500 rupees so that he can go home), forms a “family” in Bombay (Chillum, the other children).
What about Manju’s family?

6. Major Themes (2) Comradeship and betrayal
What are Krishna’s relationships with other street children?
Why does Krishna fall in love with Sweet Sixteen?
What are the many betrayals in the film?
Repetition: Krishna Chillum
The Sweet Sixteen Manju’s mother

7. Social Realism and Criticism
the production: shot on location, street children
Homeless children (Dickensian)
Prostitution
Drug trade
Traces of colonialism (ex. the foreigner)
Class difference
Well-fare institutions (ex. Chiller room)
How is the Chiller room portrayed in the film?

8. Name and Identity
What is the significance of name change in the film? (Krishna Chaipau)
Krishna and Indian mythology
Herdsman and flutist
8th avatar of Vishnu

9. Questions for Salaam Bombay
What do you think about the ending of Salaam Bombay? Is there any hope for the street children?
Can you think of any other film that is comparable to Salaam Bombay?
What is “Indian” about this film besides its location?