Pitfalls of an Adaptation

At the height of hype and acclaim for the Slumdog Millionaire recently I got the chance to watch it, finally. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I mean what is all the fuss about? Its a feel good movie, yes, probably not meant to change someone's life. Sure in that respect it kinda works. Is it worthy of best picture? Hell NO! It's corny and conceited white man's view of India. Enough said about it I think.

I just read a great article by Salman Rushdie on the failures of adapting novels to films. Its well worth a read if you have the time. It got me thinking of the impending screen adaptation of Shantaram, one of the best books I've read in recent times. I really hope they don't mess it up, but what are the chances of that happening? It would be impossible to do the book justice but like Rushdie states the film will have to stand on its own, its own form of art, an interpretation of the essence of what the book is trying to convey.

My dad does a lot of translations from English to Sinhalese and vice versa. Everyone from Shakespeare to Chekhov and Chaucer and many more. He always speaks of it as 'Transcreation', the work reborn as something different in the new sphere, its not a copy, but a new creation holding the essence of the original. Like Rushdie says you may loose something in the process but you can also gain something.

I hope the in the same way Shantaram can come to be something altogether different on screen without loosing its core. Roberts(the author) is suppose to be writing the adaptation and Johnny Depp is suppose to be the main character... hmm not sure how that will go. I love Depp and he is perhaps the most versatile Hollywood actor there is today, so maybe it will all work out... Will just have to wait and see.