Movie houses ransacked in Eastern India as protesters decry 'Slumdog' title

Don't call us dogs, say Slumdog protesters in cinema rampage - Times Online

Armed police guarded cinemas in eastern India today after slum dwellers
ransacked a picture house showing Slumdog Millionaire because they
didn't like the use of the word "dog" in the title.

Several hundred people rampaged through the cinema in Patna, capital of the
eastern state of Bihar, on Monday and tore down posters advertising the
film. They said the title was humiliating and vowed to continue their
protests until it was changed.

The protest was organised by Tateshwar Vishwakarma, a social activist who
filed a lawsuit over the title last week against four Indians involved in
its production - a lead actor, the music director and two others.

"Referring to people living in slums as dogs is a violation of human
rights," said Mr Vishwakarma, who works for a group promoting the
rights of slum dwellers. We will burn Danny Boyle [the film's British
director] effigies in 56 slums here."

The case will be heard in a Patna court on February 5, according to police.

Kishori Das, another activist, said: "We are in touch with like-minded
organisations across India to take the issue on a large scale."

Social, political and religious activists in India often organise violent
protests over films to try to win publicity for their cause.

Slumdog Millionaire