'Slumdog' writer at S African Oscar premiere

Johannesburg, Feb 19 (IANS) "Slumdog Millionaire" inspirer Vikas Swarup and his wife Aparna got a taste of what it might be like in the US on Sunday when they attend the 2009 Oscars.

Leading South African cinema group Ster-Kinekor hosted a red carpet premiere of the award-winning movie in Johannesburg last night, complete with local celebrities and life-size Oscars at the entrance. Among the guests was former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

Swarup, who is India's Deputy High Commissioner in South Africa, wrote the book "Q & A" on which "Slumdog Millionaire" is based. The book has also been released in a new version with the title of the film.

The Swarups will make a whistlestop visit to attend the most prestigious event on the international movie calendar, departing here Friday on a long-haul flight to the US and returning straight after the Oscars.

The premiere was hosted by the chief executive of Ster-Kinekor Distribution, Isabel Rao, who told IANS: "It's not often that we get the opportunity to support an Oscar-calibre film that has such a strong local link and resonates with audiences across all cultures."

Across South Africa, similar black-tie events will be hosted at cinemas of the group over the next few days, with tickets reportedly all snapped up.

At the Cinema Nouveau at the upmarket Cedar Square here, the Swarups got to hold a model of what they might come back with, as "Slumdog Millionaire" has been nominated for ten Oscars.

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Slumdog Millionaire