Controversy Swirls Around Child Stars Of Slumdog Millionaire

Feb. 4, 2009 - PRLog -- The film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, a 2008 British drama film, directed by Danny Boyle, has quickly become a roaring box office success, as it drags in millions of dollars for the studio. However, the two Hindi-speaking, 7 year-old, slum, child stars of the film, live in a worse condition than they were in before they became overnight stars. The local authorities ordered the demolition of the illegal hut Azharuddin’s family lived in and Azharuddin now lives beneath a plastic tarpaulin. The money Azharuddin was paid for his month’s work, has been spent on medicine for his father, who suffers from tuberculosis.

The British Telegraph reported Rubina was paid between $716 and $1000, while Azharuddin received $2,400. These figures are being disputed by Boyle and Colson and Fox Searchlight, which distributed the film.

The studio says that trust funds were set up for both children and their elementary and secondary education tuition has been paid for. The studio also supplies a monthly figure for books and food. Prior to their acting, the children had never had any schooling. The parents however, say they are deeply disenchanted, for they feel the success of the film has not been reflected in the families’ lives. World Bank last year reported that 77% of India’s population lives on less than $2 a day.

“The two children stars, Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail had been paid three times the amount of an annual adult salary in their slum, for only one month’s work”, says producer Christian Colson. “A substantial lump sum would be paid to the children once they reached 18 and have completed their studies.”

Four Golden Globe Awards were won by ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and the film has been named for 10 Oscars. According to Box Office Mojo the film has raked in $85 million to date, worldwide.

Mr Boyle has now issued a statement claiming, “The profits from the film will be ploughed back into the Mumbai slums where it was made. It is our chance to pour something back into an extraordinary city that helped us produce an extraordinary film".

The film is about a Mumbai teenager who grew up in the slums and becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire". Under suspicion of cheating he is arrested and during interrogation events are revealed from his life history, which explain how he knows the answers.

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