A.R. Rahman won two Oscars for the score and the hit song " Jai Ho ".

Critics, including Indian novelist Arundhati Roy, accused the film of exoticizing and commodifying suffering for Western entertainment. She argued that it presented India as a “spectacular slum” and that the film’s happy ending trivialized the systemic brutality faced by millions.

: Jamal’s older brother, whose life takes a dark turn into crime and power.