Slumdog Millionaire - One In A Million I Say

Did you know that Slumdog Millionaire is one of my favourite movies? or maybe, even the best movie of all time to me? it is one which at the end of it, leaves you with an impression, perspective to ponder, and maybe a tear.

or two.

or a whole gallon.

even after countless times of rewatching it, i find myself crying and thinking. it's a movie which pulls us into deep thoughts, shines the explanation to our confusions, whispers the relief to our sighs. it makes us see "oh, that's why it happened to me" because "something better will make it up in the future". and is it not what we want to hear? is it not what we've been waiting to occur?

but many of us refuse to believe. well if you don't have faith, then how can the theory be practical? how can your life be magical? ok maybe because it's a concept too abstract for us to picture. to impossible, some sort of a miracle. you don't believe it because it doesn't happen.

or it doesn't happen because you don't believe it? 

remember, Allah acts as we expect.

Everything Happens For A Reason

had he not experienced the unfortunate events, he wouldn't have known the answers, won the money, and reunited with the love of his life. the flashbacks at the end of the movie remind him that everything is worth it in the end. had he not gone through hell, it wouldn't have ended well. so keep calm and carry on, cos as his bro said

"God is good, bai, God is good" and "God is great".

i really love the ending scene at the train station, with Latika's Theme (did i tell you i downloaded half the soundtracks? they're just that good!) beautifully playing in the background, the flashbacks of the unfortunate events in his life when he saw Latika across the railway. everything he has seen, he has been, leads to everything he wants and finally gets, her right there. tearsss.

take the events in our lives as a flight of stairs. take each thing that happens as each step. take whatever waiting at the top of the stairs as whatever you want. a good academic achievement? a good husband? a good life? a good afterlife? to get to all that, you have to climb each step. you have to experience it all. good, and bad.

still doesn't make sense? ok. take Jamal. every question leading to the millions is everything that has happened leading to living happily ever after with Latika. the questions he could answer are somehow related to his miserable life. one unfortunate event, one question answered, one step closer. see?

the same concept applied to each of us. only less obvious.

"Do not lose hope in the mercy of Allah; indeed none lose hope in the mercy of Allah except the disbelieving people." 12:87

We Shouldn't Question The Blessings Granted To A Person

when we see someone being happy and lucky, don't you ever question it. don't you ever say why? how? or you'll be questioning God.

maybe the person is happy because he once have felt misery. maybe the person is lucky because once he was in despair. so don't you ever say "it's not fair." you have no idea what they've gone through. you have no idea what they've experienced for something that blissful to happen. you just don't.

you see them having everything, but have you any idea that you know nothing?

like that host dude. he wondered how the hell a tea boy could answer all that. he suspected him. he doubted him. little did he know, that tea boy had jumped into a pool of shits, seen his mother being killed, and experienced all other misfortunes to be able to answer the questions.

so when you see someone living in luxury, having a perfectly happy family, acing exams without studying like crazy, or looking effortlessly handsome and pretty, bear in mind that you don't know their past, or their future. all of that could have been compensations for the things which were taken from them, the gifts for their patience. or simply something to balance out their soon-to-be horrible life. you just don't know.

The Prophet said "He whom Allah intends good, He makes him suffer from some affliction" [Al-Bukhari] 

remember, everything that you've lost, is Allah's. he has taken it back, but it will be lent again to you given that you're patient. might not be the same thing, might be something even better. if he doesn't here, he will return it to you later, with something that is guaranteed to be so much better, but that time, something for permanent.

Jannah, anyone? insyaallah.

i love Jamal's expression every time he got a question right. even more when he won that 20 millions rupees. he didn't believe it himself. at first he was surprised. like what did he ever do to deserve such a prize? the answer: everything he ever did and was ever done towards him. 

then, a face that didn't really show anything, or in fact it was just too subtle for us to see. he was just, cool about everything. he didn't do whatever people do if they win 20 millions, if it ever happens. but i believe i recognize that face, just like i knew the expression before it. oh i know too well.

it is the face of "finally." of "finally, i see what you did there, God." of just "thank you, past experiences, thank you, tears, thank you, afflictions, thank you, God."

he felt that every hole in his life was filled that moment. that's why he didn't jump with excitement, cry or laugh with joy, because it's not like he received yet another addition of happiness in his life, but the hole where happiness should have been was filled. so he felt, enough. he felt complete.

It Is Written

after the phone call for the last question was answered by Latika, Jamal didn't even care about the answer anymore. he asked firstly not the question of the third musketeer, but "where are you?" and smiled with relief at the answer "i'm safe." after that he just gave out a little laugh, and hentam jelah. he didn't even care. all he cared about was Latika, and who knew his purpose of being in that game show would be met? for Latika to see him, just that. but he got more.

hentam pun, menang jugak dia.

if it's bound to happen, it will happen. being a millionaire is his destiny. Latika is his destiny. he was a slumdog, he lost Latika twice. but no matter how at odds it is, things will be the way it should be. all the bad times were just the journey to the destiny.

as simple as that. do you believe in destiny? in fate? in possibility? then believe, that the answer is

D. it is written

don't even get me started with Jamal's relationship with his brother yes Salim's a douche but he loved his lil bro and sacrificed for him eventually, something he should have done long ago but who cares he freakin died in a bath tub full of money how symbolic it is because the reason he was a douche was because of power and money and then the fact that that blinded boy with beautiful voice was not saved and still sang for that ahole but recognized Jamal anyway and wished the best for him what a beautiful soul and how Latika's favourite lines are "now what?", "so what?" and "it's too late" cos she was in despair and to her nothing or nobody could save her i mean i understand her but then came Jamal her knight in shining armour and i can go on and on but i should just stop here.

i can relate to this movie so much, but i prefer to write this post factually instead of based on a true story. thank you, Slumdog Millionaire, for making me believe that i can escape my own version of slum, win my own version of millions, and get my own version of Latika someday.