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"If anyone has any objection to the depiction of poverty in the film they should first come forward and take initiative to remove it. Only talking won't help," the actor said in an interview.
"Scams like Satyam computers are doing a better job of giving a bad name to our country than the depiction of poverty in a film. We should not shy away from showing the truth," he added.
Irrfan plays the character of an investigative officer in the Danny Boyle film, which is based on the life of a Mumbai slum-dweller. The film has been criticised in certain sections for depicting stereotyped Mumbai.
"We can not shut our eyes from the fact that a large section of our country continues to live abject poverty which can not be removed by not being shown in a film. We need to work on grass-root level to remove this problem," he added.
The actor, who has worked in international films like 'The Warrior' and 'A Mighty Heart' with Angelina Jolie believes that International awards like Golden Globe are known for their credibility which awards in India lack.
The actor feels that award ceremonies like Golden Globe provide a global platform to artistes and actors from India.
Talking about the differences in International film and Indian cinema, the actor said, "Foreign directors make their films keeping in mind the sensibilities of International audiences as their viewership while the focus of our films is limited to India only."
Irrfan, however, feels that Indians audiences are increasingly shifting towards realism in films. "A popular film will entertain people without deviating from reality," he said.
The actor, who has earned a name for himself by giving power-packed performances in films like 'Haasil,' Maqbool' and 'Life In a Metro,' struggled for nearly twenty-two years in the industry.
"You should have the spirit to struggle and life will automatically give you a chance to move yourself," Irrfan said.
The actor is working with Shah Rukh Khan in his upcoming film 'Billo Barber', which is releasing in February. Irrfan hopes to continue a good run this year with the film.
‘Slumdog Millionaire' is releasing in India on January 23.
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2) How can a boy growing up in slums speak such accented English? Even if one assumes that the language he actually uses to communicate with the game-show host and the police officer is Hindi (granting the director the creative license to use a language better suited for international audiences), there are 2 instances where it is stretched too far: (a) when the boy becomes a ‘guide’ for foreign tourists at the Taj Mahal
Scenes of poverty and squalour may appear romantic to Westerners and to our snooty elite but for ordinary Indians they are nothing new. They are an everyday reality. However, one wonders what sort of mind can find such images aesthetically pleasing. Party-hopping socialites (for example, Shobhaa De after all her bombast of "enough is enough" after the Mumbai attack, went and watched a pirated copy!) who are distanced from such reality may find this film an "eye-opener" but for us it IS just poverty-porn. It IS just slum- voyeurism. Leaving that aside, I have eight other objections to the film. 1) The director seems to RELISH showing violence. Some of it (like the police-torture) is quite needless. And why was the boy arrested in the first place? On what charge? Was it realistic?
100% slumdog millioniare stereotyped Mumbai and India,Not doubt abt it
Of course, Mr. Khan is going to say that. What a contrast to African American actors! Denzil Washington is known to be very careful in choosing his scripts and refused to act in any movie that showed a romantic interest in a Caucasian because he felt it was demeaning to African-American women. Dennis Haysbert, who played the role of the American President on the TV show '24' has been very careful and refused any roles that depicted African Americans in a bad light. For a long time he was a starving actor. But he held on to his principles. He found success nevertheless because of his integrity and skill. Obviously, our Indian actors don't suffer from any such value orientations. Money and fame is all that matters. Though I would have to ask Mr. Khan - would he have acted that role if that character had been named Mohammed? In that answer lies the true spirit of the man. Then we have Anil Kapoor who was happy to slam his colleague Amitabh Bachchan for all the world to see. How great!
Both are giving bad name.Awards in indian cinema/literature are mostly related to dark pictures of India.