India to complain about BBC’s ‘poverty porn’ Mumbai film

According to an official,the High Commission in London granted a filming permit to Kevin McCloud,the TV presenter of the channel in the belief that he was making a programme highlighting Mumbai’s architectural history.

“We thought it would be about the architecture of Mumbai but it was only about slums. He was showing dirty sewage and dead rats,children playing among rubbish and people living in these small rooms.

He never talked about architecture at all,” the official said.

Describing it as “poverty porn”,the official said “we are upset. Many people know India but for people who don’t travel,they will think all of India is like this. Of course it will affect our tourism. It is not representative at all.”

Channel4 and the production company,Talkback Thames,said: “Kevin McCloud follows everyday life in Dharavi and the film is a balanced and insightful account of his experience there.”