Movie Director Says He ‘Wouldn’t Even Contemplate’ Making His Hit Movie Today Because of ‘Cultural Appropriation’

Looks like Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle isn’t feeling the “jai ho” spirit much anymore.

The film, released in 2009, stars Dev Patel as a teenager living in poverty who ends up winning the Hindi version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Slumdog Millionaire was universally acclaimed by audiences and critics in America and Europe, winning eight of the ten Oscars it was nominated for, including Best Original Song for “Jai Ho” and Best Director for Boyle.

However, the film was controversial in India over its inaccurate and somewhat negative depictions of Indian culture—one Hindustan Times reviewer called the movie “an assault on Indian self-esteem.”

While promoting his new film, 28 Years Later, Boyle told The Guardian that he “wouldn’t be able to make [Slumdog Millionaire] now.”

“At the time, it felt radical. We made the decision that only a handful of us would go to Mumbai. We’d work with a big Indian crew and try to make a film within the culture,” Boyle said. “But you’re still an outsider. It’s still a flawed method. That kind of cultural appropriation might be sanctioned at certain times. But at other times, it cannot be. I mean, I’m proud of the film, but you wouldn’t even contemplate doing something like that today.”

Boyle said if he were involved with the film today, he’d be “looking for a young Indian filmmaker to shoot it… and that’s how it should be.”

“It’s time to reflect on all that. We have to look at the cultural baggage we carry and the mark that we’ve left on the world,” he said.