Salaam Bombay is not easy to watch because it leaves me emotionally spent, but that tells you just how good this film is. Mira Nair has therefore succeeded in creating an authentic experience, highlighting the ugly side of life in Mumbai (previously called Bombay). You can tell that Slumdog Millionaire borrowed many of the interesting elements of Salaam Bombay, but added extra spice with a British flavour mixed with Bollywood. However Salaam Bombay keeps everything real and this is why it's the strongest film I've seen set in India. The story line revolves around Indians in poverty, where older men exploit children to work on the streets, and Salaam Bombay takes us into this horror filled underworld. Where Nair wins is that she makes you care for these young characters and it turns into quite an emotional ride. There are moments which reminded me of the best of the French New Wave, such as 500 Blows and Salaam Bombay is certainly a film at that level. Eventually, you need to be ready to through this feature length film, enduring some of the worst experiences in India. Perhaps if Nair contrasted this with some of the more beautiful aspects of Mumbai, it would've been more rounded.

The story revolves around a boy named Krishna who was abandoned by her mother and swears to return when he gathered Rs 500 for his brother's bicycle which he trashed. He visit Bombay and worked as a tea servant and he known as Chai pau in his circle.Watching 80's 90's movie in this era is a bliss and we can't even compare the cinema which have made in those era which remain a golden era for Bollywood with movies like DDLJ, Andaz Apna Apna, Angoor to name few. This was on my list since 1 year and never got time to watch it.Every applaud, every award is small for a movie like this. It shows the darkest side of Mumbai in a most perfect way and the performances made it a brilliant watch altogether. The cinematography is so impressive that you actually feel the movie while watching. It is a very brave attempt for the director and writer to show such dark and witty side of the city.No one can ever imagine that the child character (Krishna) played by Shafiq Syed was his debut movie. His expressions are so real with full of emotions that it will keep you hooked with the film soul. Nana Patekar and Irfan Khan (Cameo) are a compelling watch as well. Some of the child in the movie are actual street children who has been given special training to prepare for the roles. The movie was a second nomination for an Oscar after Mother India in a best foreign film category.Salaam Bombay is witty, Dark, Gloomy which may appeal negative to some audiences, but then its an art of cinema which comes with a disclaimer 'All characters and events depicted in this film are entirely fictitious'.

The debut feature by Indian filmmaker Mira Nair is a near-seamless blend of social documentary and coming-of-age dramatics, with the uncompromising honesty of the former combined to all the creative emotion of the latter. In this case the end of innocence doesn't present an easy rite of passage for Nair's young protagonist: a resourceful, homeless adolescent forced to grow old before his time in the mean streets and back alleys of modern Bombay. Every scene was shot on location, and the children in the film are actual homeless kids, all of them coached into remarkably natural performances alongside the few professional actors. The result is an unsentimental look at the bitter cycle of poverty and crime in a city where life is given a rare vitality by its dubious worth. Within the community of thieves, junkies, prostitutes, and pimps is a measure of compassion equal to their misery, and Nair is able to convey the stubborn spark of hope clinging to even the most tragic victims of circumstance. Expect an honest ending, not a happy one.

Mira Nair's darkly whimsical 'Salaam Bombay' gives us a glimpse of life in the streets of Bombay. The story focuses on an urchin nicknamed Chaipau and the people he encounters. Through vivacious cinematography and eloquent writing, Nair shows us the rawness of the streets and street life. Pretty much each and every one of the colourful characters seem to be doomed to street-life. There are those who take advantage of the vulnerability of others and there are their victims that are forced to live in hardship.Most of the scenes don't even look like they were shot for a movie but rather appear as live footage. The score has a very 80s feel to it but it terrifically adds to the atmosphere. The steady pace does not allow the viewer to think of anything other than following the movie. The performances are first rate. Child actors Shafiq Syed and Hansa Vithal are spellbinding. Raghuvir Yadav, Nana Patekar, Anita Kanwar and Chanda Sharma provide excellent support.'Salaam Bombay' is Mira Nair's rawest film. While it tells a dark story there's a very lyrical quality to it. This easily ranks as one of Nair's finest works and definitely proves her potential as she has done terrific work since (e.g. 'The Namesake', 'Monsoon Wedding') amidst some mediocre films.