Structure

The film Slumdog Millionaire (2008) directed by Danny Boyle follows an unusual, non-traditionalstructure with the action taking place in three separate timelines. Although the events of the three timelines each unfold in chronological order, and the story can still be divided into three acts, the mixing of the three narrative threads might initially seem confusing to viewers. However, this strategy also creates tension and suspense.

The film is divided into three acts, with the timelines moving forward towards a moment of crisis. In Act 3, we finally reach the present after Jamal explains how he managed to know all the answers and how he was arrested before he could get to the final question of the show. From then on, the narrative flows chronologically in a single timeline until the climax and the ending.

The pre-title scenes are quite important and add to the unusual structure. The first sequence of scenes alternates between Jamal being tortured at the police station and his introduction in the show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? There is no transition between one scene to another and sometimes we see Jamal answering in the show questions that he was asked during the interrogation and vice-versa. 

The very first sc...