Washington, Dec 6 (IANS) Within three weeks of its release in the US, British filmmaker Danny Boyle’s critically acclaimed “Slumdog Millionaire” has raked in $3.8 million at the North American box office, becoming one of the highest grossing films of 2008. The film is set and shot in Mumbai.The film is currently playing in 49 locations but will continue to open in more theatres nationwide throughout December and its box office earnings are expected to climb further, Fox Searchlight said Friday. Although a British film, it’s setting, story, and characters are all Indian.

“Slumdog Millionaire” recounts the travails of an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai who goes on to win a staggering Rs.20 million ($404,000) on India’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” game show and in the process is nabbed by the police on suspicion of cheating.

“Slumdog Millionaire” added to its impressive list of industry accolades this week winning three British Independent Film Awards for Best Film, Best Director, and the Most Promising Newcomer prize for 18-year-old actor Dev Patel.

The song “Paper Planes” by British Sri Lankan singer MIA, which is featured on the “Slumdog Millionaire” soundtrack earned a prestigious Grammy Award nomination for Record of the Year Wednesday.

On Thursday, the film was named Best Picture of the Year by the National Board of Review, which also honoured it in two other categories - Best Breakthrough Performance by an Actor for Patel and Best Adapted Screenplay (tie) for Simon Beaufoy.