How did a movie set in India, with a cast of unknowns and a British director, become the feel-good hit of the year? The rags-to-riches story of Slumdog Millionaire is an unlikely tale of hope that has captivated audiences with the ingenuity of its plot and the frenetic energy of its filmmaking.

Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? But when the show breaks for the night, he is arrested and interrogated on suspicion of cheating. The police and the preening game show host are skeptical: how could a street kid—a “slumdog” with no formal education—know so much?

Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in a series of stunning flashbacks. Director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Millions) deftly transports us to the slum where Jamal and his brother, Salim, grew up, their adventures together on the road, vicious encounters with local gangs, and Latika, the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show's seemingly impossible questions.

The steamy, frenzied streets and slums of Mumbai provide a powerful backdrop for this romantic fable. Early on, Jamal, Salim and Latika fall victim to a monstrous criminal straight out of Oliver Twist who kidnaps children to run as pickpockets and beggars. However, their lives take dramatically different directions as Jamal escapes and later vows to rescue Latika. But will he?

Defying the prejudices of a caste society and an underprivileged upbringing, Jamal's story has a ring of destiny about it. Is his rapid rise to fame just dumb luck or is there a greater force at work? Jamal's ultimate motivation is not the prize money, but the promise that life can be lived on love alone.