Slumdog Millionaire's Children

Right: Danny Boyle with Azharuddin Ismail and Rubina Ali

Slumdog child star gets new home
Wednesday, 27 May 2009

BBC News

Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle and the trust he set up have bought a new home for one of the child stars of his Oscar-winning movie.

The filmmaker, who is currently in Mumbai, has told Azharuddin Ismail, 9, he will be re-housed after his family was made to leave the slums.

Boyle, who has been criticised for not helping the child actors enough, blamed the press for raising expectations. Inevitably, the tension and pressure is media generated," he said.

'Emergencies'

He said he hoped a new home would also be found for Rubina Ali, who played Latika, before the monsoon rains in June.

"They were given access to a world, an extraordinary and glamorous world, and they understandably want their lives to be completely transformed," he said.

Soon after the movie was finished, Boyle and producer Christian Colson set up the Jai Ho trust, which was aimed to help the children financially until they turned 18.

"The homes are a concern. That is one of the reasons why we built the trust," Boyle said.
It has been five to six months. Everything is available in Mumbai if you have the money
Rafiq Qureshi

"We have been trying to accelerate the process of re-housing the families, and one of the reasons we set up the trust is to deal with emergencies like this," said Colson.

A director for the trust said the apartment for Ismail, who played the young Salim, was "comfortable, in a good neighbourhood [and] near his school".

In February, the state housing authority said it would give the two children apartments, but the families had not heard from them, said Ali's father Rafiq Qureshi.

"It has been five to six months. Everything is available in Mumbai if you have the money," he said. "If you really want to get us a house you can get us a house in two days."

Earlier this month, the authorities tore the children's slum homes down. Since then Rubina has been staying with relatives and Azhar was living in a makeshift shanty with his parents.

Slumdog star's father 'injured'
By Prachi Pinglay

BBC News, Mumbai

The father of Slumdog Millionaire star Rubina Ali has been beaten up as authorities destroyed his slum in Mumbai (Bombay), his neighbours say. They say that Rafiq Qureshi has been taken to hospital.

The railway authorities said the clearance was a routine exercise carried out to remove illegal structures from railway property. Last week authorities demolished the home of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, another Slumdog child actor.

'Soft encroachments'

"The railway authorities were clearing up the area and in the process they demolished Rubina's house also," Mohiddin, a relative, said.

"The clean-up drive is fine but there was a fight and Rafiq sustained injuries." Neighbours say it is not yet clear if he has been badly injured.

The family lived in a slum adjoining the railway tracks near Bandra station in Mumbai...She was recently in the news for scoring high grades in her school exams.

"This exercise is carried out regularly at different stations. We removed soft encroachments near Bandra station today," said Western Railways spokesman C David. "This land should be used for railway work, which in turn should benefit the commuter."

Last week police were accused of "smacking" Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail with a bamboo stick before ordering him out. The authorities claim he and other families were squatting on land that was owned by the government.

The families lived in a temporary shelter made up of plastic sheets over bamboo sticks. Many claim they were not informed about the planned demolition and that help for new housing promised by local authorities and by the film's makers had not materialised.

Slumdog director Danny Boyle has strongly denied claims of exploitation. The film makers have set up funds to pay for the young actors' education and they have been enrolled in school for the first time.

They also recently announced that they will donate $776,294 (£500,000) to a charity which will help children living in the slums of Mumbai. The film has made more than $200m (£140m) in box office takings around the world.

Slumdog star's home is demolished

May 14, 2009

BBC

The Mumbai slum home of one of the child stars of the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire has been demolished by city authorities. Reports say that police smacked the boy, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, with a bamboo stick before ordering him out.

The authorities claim he and other families were squatting on land that was owned by the government. He played a younger version of one of the main characters in the film, which scooped eight Oscars.

"We are homeless, we have nowhere to go," Azharuddin said after the demolition.
The family lived in a temporary makeshift shelter made up of plastic sheets over bamboo sticks, in a slum near Bandra East in Mumbai.

He said he had been fast asleep when the demolition squad came and asked them to leave, later tearing down the entire row of tents pitched on the land. The family claim they had not been informed about the planned demolition.

Municipal official, Uma Shankar Mistry, who was present during the demolition, told the BBC that the authorities only razed temporary and illegal homes which had recently been erected next to the slum. He said the houses were in an area that was meant for a public garden.

Housing promise

The mother of the child actor said that she did not know what would happen to her family now and that the help promised by local authorities and by the film's makers had not materialised.
"Our house has been broken down by officials. We have not been given any alternate accommodation. Earlier the authorities had said they would give us a house. But I don't think that will happen any more," Shamim Ismail told the BBC.

The families of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and co-star Rubina Ali had been promised new accommodation by a local housing authority. But a decision about whether or not this will go ahead is still pending.

Film director Danny Boyle has strongly denied charges of exploitation. The film's makers have set up funds to pay for their education and they have been enrolled in school for the first time.