Q & A: The Book That Inspired Slumdog Millionaire
Imagine a boy from the slums of India sitting in the hot seat of a game show, answering one impossible question after another with a confidence that baffles everyone. How did he get there? How does he know these answers? This is the gripping premise of Q & A, the debut novel by Indian diplomat and writer Vikas Swarup. If the story sounds familiar, it’s because Q & A was the basis for the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. But as with most book-to-film adaptations, the novel offers a richer and more layered experience. A Tale of Luck, Love, and Destiny Q & A begins with Ram Mohammad Thomas, an 18-year-old waiter, being arrested after winning a staggering billion rupees on the fictional quiz show *Who Will Win a Billion?*. Accused of cheating, Ram must recount the extraordinary events of his life to prove his innocence. Each chapter corresponds to one of the quiz show’s questions, unraveling how life’s twists and turns taught him the answers. This storytelli...