A reader has scolded me for not warning her in my review that “Slumdog Millionaire” contains some harrowing sequences, especially the images of police brutality and the abuse of homeless children. I thought that I had. But I’ll take this opportunity to reiterate: This is a tough film, with some scenes that will make the faint-hearted shudder.

Yet it’s also arguably the most beloved film of the year, and several Oscar-handicapping sites (such as The Envelope) rank it as the favorite for Best Picture. That goes to show you the power of a happy ending to erase our memories of everything that preceded it.

I maintain that “Slumdog” is too small a picture, and too foreign, to win over the Academy, which tends to favor big films that employ many members of its American electorate. That’s why my money is on “The Curious of Benjamin  Button.” But I must admit, “Slumdog” is a phenomenon. Maybe it will spark a craze for all things Indian, and Ben Kingsley can finally get around to making “Gandhi, Part II: The Payback.”