
From poverty porn to wealth porn: A dichotomy of two images of Asia in Hollywood Back in 2009, when Slumdog Millionaire became a global blockbuster and won critical acclaim, like the main character in the movie, I was a young man from a humble background with dreams in my eyes and a resolve to go after them. The story struck a chord instantly and it became one of my all-time favourite movies. There were people who dubbed the movie as "poverty porn" and dismissed it right away, in spite of many other aspects of life in the developing world, that the movie endeavoured to showcase. Fast forward to 2018, almost a decade has passed and the world has changed. The rising middle class in Asia is now the primary driver of global economic growth. The predictions of China being the next superpower and overtaking the US are getting more realistic with every passing year. Like most people who come from middle class families across Asia, I have achieved success in term...