Guwahati, Feb. 23: The heap of awards that Slumdog Millionaire swept at the Oscars today evoked joy and spun dreams and inspiration among the film and music fraternity in Assam, but left those around whom the plot of the movie revolves virtually untouched.

Few in some of the slums in Guwahati were aware that such a movie projecting the lives of their counterparts in Mumbai had been made and even fewer knew that the film also won so many awards.

For singer-composer Zubeen Garg, whose Ya Ali had become a huge hit, the awards the film swept, including the two won by A.R. Rahman, would infuse in him a new determination and dream. “We can too,” he said soon after the Oscar awards ceremony drew to a close. Having been influenced by the Rahman school of music, Zubeen said, “What Rahman has done today, some of us may be able to do it in future. I also dream of getting an Oscar. It is time to dream big.”

Rajesh Paswan, 18, who lives in a slum in Uzan Bazar, said he had never heard about the film. “What film, what awards?” he asked when told about Danny Boyle’s film, capturing the spirit of a Mumbai slum.

There were, of course, a few exceptions from the slums that had watched Slumdog Crorepati — the Hindi version of the epochal movie — at the theatres but had their own takes on the film.

“I found the film entertaining, particularly the rags-to-riches tale of a young boy from a Mumbai slum who gets rich by winning on the game show,” said Mahesh Rao, 27, a resident of Marakhali slum area near the Nehru Stadium.

Monoj Basfor, 24, who lives in a slum near the Guwahati railway station, said though he enjoyed the movie, he was disappointed by its title, though not by the poverty projected on screen as it was a reality in India and Guwahati was no exception.

“I feel it would have been better had it been named “A millionaire from the slums” or anything instead of using the word “slumdog”, which the slumdwellers and the poor may find insulting,” he said.

“A film is about emotions as much as it is about an idea. In this case, the idea and the emotions are both driven by optimism. It is incredible to talk about optimism particularly in these times because it gives hope and infuses aspirations in the common man. Slumdog Millionaire epitomises that,” singer Mayukh Hazarika said. “We are proud about Rahman being bestowed with the greatest international honour for creating magic with his music.”

Actress Nishita Goswami, who has watched the movie twice, opined: “Today I am buying a DVD of the film. I think every Indian must watch the movie as it depicts the real India. Direction of the movie was flawless. I do not have any word for A.R. Rahman’s talents. He has done India proud,” she said.

Actor Jatin Bora said he has been itching to watch the movie. “Today I am in Guwahati and will definitely buy a DVD of the movie. What can I say? The award has brought a sense of fulfilment among Indian artistes, rather among everyone of us.”