Is 'Slumdog Millionaire' target of a smear campaign?

If reports in some US and UK papers are to be believed, Oscar front-runner Slumdog Millionaire, is reportedly being targetted by an "organized smear campaign" in an attempt to undermine its chances at the Academy awards.

A Mumbai slumdweller's rags-to-riches journey, the film has already come under strong criticism for portraying India and its poverty in bad light.

As the members of the Academy received their voting papers this week, the film suffered a barrage of negative headlines about its treatment of child actors and its "white man's portrayal" of modern-day Mumbai, The Independent reported.

Director Danny Boyle had to release a statement on Friday denying the allegations that the child actors were not paid properly, which has prompted speculation that some rivals are deliberately trying to derail film's chances at the Oscars.

An article in Los Angeles Times, headlined "the conspiracy raging against Slumdog Millionaire, said the film was now "unquestioned front-runner and an easy target for rivals" and claimed that "forces (are) at work in India trying to disparage Danny Boyle's surprise hit".

Film critic Pete Hammond, claimed, "This kind of thing has been going on in modern Oscar campaigns now for years." He highlighted "suspicious circumstances" around the re-emergence of negative articles about the film "on the very day Oscar ballots were being mailed".