British filmmaker Danny Boyle admitted he would not direct Slumdog Millionaire if it were made today, citing concerns over cultural appropriation. In an interview with The Guardian, Boyle reflected on his 2008 Oscar-winning film and said the project would now be better suited for a young Indian filmmaker.
“We wouldn’t be able to make that now,” Boyle said. “And that’s how it should be.” Despite shooting the film in Mumbai with a largely Indian crew and incorporating Hindi dialogue, Boyle called his approach a “flawed method.” He acknowledged that while his intentions were collaborative, he remained an outsider.
Boyle, known for 28 Days Later and Trainspotting, said he’s proud of Slumdog Millionaire, but now views its production through a more critical lens. “That kind of cultural appropriation might be sanctioned at certain times. But at other times it cannot be,” he stated. He added, “Even if I was involved, I’d be looking for a young Indian filmmaker to shoot it.”
Asked whether the project amounted to colonialism, Boyle responded, “No, no. Well, only in the sense that everything is.” He explained that only a handful of the original team went to Mumbai and the goal was to immerse in local culture, but admitted the dynamic still reflected an outsider perspective.
In the same interview, Boyle also took aim at President Donald Trump, saying the former president’s “dominance is undoubtedly down to his appeal to the media.” Boyle claimed Trump’s soundbites are “damaging” and contrasted the U.S. political scene with the U.K., where he praised the recent election of Labour leader Keir Starmer.
Boyle, now estimated to be worth $60 million, concluded that times have changed and projects like Slumdog Millionaire should now be directed from within the cultures they portray.
