EXACTLY three months ago, on Nov 26, Mumbai — and indeed India — suffered its most traumatic terror attack ever. Ten terrorists virtually held India's financial capital to ransom for three days, killing almost 200 people.

The main targets of the terrorists were two five-star hotels, a building which housed Israelis, and the city's main railway station, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST). At that station, over 50 people were gunned down. Many thought that it would take a long time for Mumbai to recover.

On the morning of Feb 23, however, the city celebrated as never before (except perhaps for a cricket victory). That morning, India, but more specifically Mumbai, made it big, nay huge, film-wise, internationally. And 26/11, as Nov 26 is now referred to in India, almost became a distant memory as Mumbai sprang back to life, exhibiting its famed resilience.

Something quite unprecedented for India took place a film based on the city, Slumdog Millionaire, with Indian actors and technical crew, swept the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, winning eight of them.

The last time anything like that had happened was when Richard Attenborough's iconic Gandhi also won a slew of Academy Awards. But that film had an array of top western actors like Ben Kingsley (who won the best actor award for his portrayal of Gandhi), John Gielgud, Candice Bergen, Trevor Howard and Martin Sheen to back it.

Slumdog Millionaire, on the other hand, had completely unknown actors, many of them children taken from the slums of Mumbai, facing the cameras for the first time. The lead female role was played by a Mumbai model, Freida Pinto, acting in her first film.

Yet, the fast-paced film, showing much of the city's under-belly, lightened by humour, wowed critics and public alike. Made on a shoe-string budget of $13m, it has already grossed almost $150m at the box office. Now with the added tag of eight Academy Awards, its gross earnings are bound to soar even higher.

Ok, the film was made by a Britisher, Danny Boyle, and financed outside India. So what? The music was by an Indian, the 41-year-old Allah

Rakha Rahman. He picked up two Oscars, for best song (Jay ho) along with best musical score. Ironically, this was by no means his best music. He has done much better. But the awards jury liked it, which is what matters. Another two Indians, lyricist Gulzar (who shared one of the awards with Rahman) and sound-mixer Resul Pookutty, were also among the Oscar-winners.

Though I know I am treading on delicate ground, let me add something, since I believe it is important. None of these three Indians are Hindus. They all belong to what is referred to in India as 'minorities'. Rahman and Pookutty are Muslims and Gulzar (his full name is Sampooran Singh Kalra and is a refugee from Pakistan) a Sikh.

In fact, in their early years both Rahman and Pookutty were impoverished, struggling to make ends meet. Pookutty came from the backwaters of Kerala, his father being a ticket-checker on buses and Rahman's father died when he (named Dilip Kumar then) was still a child. They both came up through dint of hard work and, of course, their abilities.

This is a tribute to Indian secularism and I for one celebrate their triumph, as do most Indians. Yes, there is a certain degree of discrimination against Muslims in India — as there is also against the lower castes, particularly the so-called 'untouchables' or Dalits — but this takes place mainly at the political and administrative levels, as well as where jobs, education and housing are concerned.

In the creative and artistic fields, religion and caste play little or no role. Slumdog Millionaire proves this. Its theme of poor slum boy who makes good and earns millions through a quiz show, though a little over the top, is believable. Dharavi, the Mumbai slum, where much of the film was shot, has plenty of similar rags-to-riches stories.

There was more cheer for India at the Academy Awards. The Oscar for best documentary went to Smile Pinki, made by an American woman but which featured an Indian village girl, afflicted with a cleft palate, who overcomes her handicap through surgery. A smiling Pinki was flown to Hollywood for the awards ceremony and, like the Mumbai slum children, charmed a world audience.

What explains the success of Slumdog and Pinki?

Artistic excellence, of course, but some of the other nominees were artistically and creatively just as good, if not better. I am convinced that what got the jury to back them was their uplifting theme of hope and their 'feel good' factor. At a time when the world is going through a terrible economic recession and there are dark clouds all round, these films shone through brightly. I also have a sneaking suspicion that the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai must have been in the mind of the jurors and influenced them as well.

Along with millions of Indians — perhaps Pakistanis as well — I woke up early last Monday morning and watched the Hollywood awards ceremony on TV. As Rahman's award was announced I stood up and cheered. And when, on receiving the award, he said softly, “All my life I had a choice between hate and love, I chose love, and I am here,” I wept.

I also recalled the last scene of Slumdog, a typically exuberant Bollywood-style dance number, full of joy and happiness. It was filmed on a platform at the CST station — just where the 26/11 terrorists had done their worst. Needless to say, the filming was done much before 26/11, yet there was great symbolism in the coincidence. You can do your worst, the film seemed to be saying to the terrorists, but that will not deter us. We will continue to dance and to sing, “Jay ho!”

The writer is a former editor of the Reader's Digest and the Indian Express.

singh.84@hotmail.com