Fan Rant: The Slumdog Situation
Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Newsstand
Step by step, this whole story gets increasingly more ridiculous and heart-breaking. We've already told you about the Slumdog Millionaire aftermath, and how young stars Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Rubiana Ali have struggled in their slum-filled, post-Oscars life. Then rumors popped up that Ali's dad was trying to sell her. Since then, just last week, Ismail's house was torn down and this week, MSNBC reports that Ali's has been demolished as well.Rubina told The Associated Press: "I'm feeling bad. My house had been demolished. I'm thinking about where to sleep." And where are the houses they were promised back in February?
Award-winning films are great and all, as are realism, but none of us should accept entertainment over the welfare of those involved. It's bad enough when a language void and a desire for cheap labor leads to a Borat in Romania situation, but it's incredibly worse when it involves children.
Slumdog' Kids
Rubina Ali, a child actress in the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire," stands inside her house as it is demolished by local authorities at a slum area in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, May 20, 2009. Dozens of police with bamboo batons walked around the alley where Rubina's house is located and supervised demolition crews of young men wielding sledgehammers and metal rods who tore down the shanty homes, a week after bulldozers demolished the home of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, another child star of the same film, in a similar cleanup drive in a different part of the same slum. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
AP
Rubina Ali, a child actress in the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire," holds her prayers beads and pray as her house is demolished by local authorities at a slum area in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, May 20, 2009. Dozens of police with bamboo batons walked around the alley where Rubina's house is located and supervised demolition crews of young men wielding sledgehammers and metal rods who tore down the shanty homes, a week after bulldozers demolished the home of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, another child star of the same film, in a similar cleanup drive in a different part of the same slum. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
AP
Rubina Ali, a child actress in the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire," stands inside her house as it is demolished by local authorities at a slum area in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, May 20, 2009. Dozens of police with bamboo batons walked around the alley where Rubina's house is located and supervised demolition crews of young men wielding sledgehammers and metal rods who tore down the shanty homes, a week after bulldozers demolished the home of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, another child star of the same film, in a similar cleanup drive in a different part of the same slum. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
AP
Rubina Ali, a child actress in the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire," walks inside her house as it is demolished by local authorities at a slum area in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, May 20, 2009. Dozens of police with bamboo batons walked around the alley where Rubina's house is located and supervised demolition crews of young men wielding sledgehammers and metal rods who tore down the shanty homes, a week after bulldozers demolished the home of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, another child star of the same film, in a similar cleanup drive in a different part of the same slum. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
AP
Rubina Ali, a child actress in the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire," stands inside her house as it is demolished by local authorities at a slum area in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, May 20, 2009. Dozens of police with bamboo batons walked around the alley where Rubina's house is located and supervised demolition crews of young men wielding sledgehammers and metal rods who tore down the shanty homes, a week after bulldozers demolished the home of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, another child star of the same film, in a similar cleanup drive in a different part of the same slum. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
AP
Rubina Ali, a child actress in the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire," stands inside her house as it is demolished by local authorities at a slum area in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, May 20, 2009. Dozens of police with bamboo batons walked around the alley where Rubina's house is located and supervised demolition crews of young men wielding sledgehammers and metal rods who tore down the shanty homes, a week after bulldozers demolished the home of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, another child star of the same film, in a similar cleanup drive in a different part of the same slum. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
AP
Rubina Ali (C), who acted as young Latika in the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire", stands with her mother Munni (L) amidst the debris after their house was demolished by local authorities at a slum area in Mumbai May 20, 2009. REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe (INDIA SOCIETY ENTERTAINMENT)
Reuters
Rubina Ali (C), who acted as young Latika in the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire", stands amid the debris after her house was demolished by local authorities at a slum area in Mumbai May 20, 2009. REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe (INDIA SOCIETY ENTERTAINMENT)
Reuters
Rubina Ali (C), who acted as young Latika in the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire", picks up a wooden plank from the debris after her house was demolished by local authorities at a slum area in Mumbai May 20, 2009. REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe (INDIA SOCIETY ENTERTAINMENT)
Reuters
Munni (R), mother of Rubina Ali who played the leading lady Latika as a young child in the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire", looks at her demolished house by local authorities at a slum area in Mumbai May 20, 2009. REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe (INDIA SOCIETY ENTERTAINMENT)
Reuters
Sure, the rational voice in our heads can blame their parents, or make a million and two excuses. But the fact of the matter is, everyone is responsible for the welfare of children, and if you're going to use them for your own art or own gain, you best put more than five minutes thought to think how it will affect them. Think about the impact of the film, of the Oscars, the worlds they will be introduced and then ripped from -- to go back to a situation where they have no home, living a life that we'd all find unacceptable.
Don't choose them and titilate them with riches until they have, at the very least, a home that won't be bulldozed in the blazing heat. If you can't provide even that, look elsewhere.
Robert Pattinson Talks 'Breaking Dawn' & 'Unbound Captives'
Gwyneth Paltrow Joins Nicole Kidman in 'The Danish Girl'
Discuss: The Movies That Haunt You_thumbnail.jpg)
'Yogi Bear' Will Cry Me A River With Its Cast
Watch This: Movie Titles That Slip Into the Dialogue
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
5-21-2009 @ 1:08PM
matt d. said...
i want to know why hollywood hasnt stepped in to help these kids out, really the studio behind slumdog could drop some of the 140 million dollars they earned domestically there way...
Reply
5-21-2009 @ 1:50PM
Michael said...
But they did. The filmmakers set up a trust fund for the children.
5-21-2009 @ 1:25PM
Astin said...
I can't say for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if the fact it's in India is a reason. It's not as easy as simply showing up, buying/building a house and handing over a few hundred thousand dollars to provide for the kids and their families. India is one of the most corrupt places in the world to do business, so big Hollywood people coming in would likely involve bribes, beauracracy, politicking, and hope... in the end, there's a very good chance whatever they did would be undone by greedy families and officials.
5-24-2009 @ 1:20PM
chuck ambler said...
they're welcome to live in my home anytime***it's a sin what the assholes in the movie industry have allowed to happen to these kids!!!
5-24-2009 @ 4:51PM
Andrea said...
Sure, this situation is intolerable. But who among us can cast blame with out knowing the whole, true story. No one who is commenting here has researched the issue and knows enough to be sure of where the blame should be placed. I've read that the producers did set up trusts and did do what they could to ensure financial security for the kids. And I've read that parnets squandered the money. I've read that their govenrment I've read that nothing was done to help them. What do I believe?
5-21-2009 @ 2:05PM
I HEART WIM said...
interesting.
Reply
5-21-2009 @ 2:58PM
Lizz said...
I thought I remember reading somewhere that the film makers offered the families a chance to move into new houses, but the parents refused and wanted cash, which the film makers would obviously be reluctant to give.
Reply
5-24-2009 @ 10:27AM
Dave said...
The producers dd buy these kids a very nice house in a good neighborohood. Forgetting that India has a very strict Caste system. They had to be moved out when the neighborohood they moved into went nuts
5-21-2009 @ 3:07PM
Kurt T. said...
It would sure be awesome if anyone gave a crap before a movie was made about these people.
Displaced children in India is terrible but not much more can be said for the caliber of person that jumps onto a highly publicized bandwagon and has shown little public compassion for less trendy tragedies.
That said, unless these children were relocated out of India or these outcries somehow spurn the Indian government to completely reform, these children will remain the victim of circumstance.
Reply
5-24-2009 @ 1:26PM
Judi said...
The caste system, while no longer legal is still too deeply entrenched in the culture. Those children don't stand a chance while still living in India. The conditions are beyond comprehension and the government of India should hang it's head in shame that anyone lives like this. India is quickly becoming one of the most industrialized countries in the world. I cann't believe that the global community is not up in arms at how little money in India's economy isn't immediately directed toward building decent housing and providing better education and healthcare.
5-22-2009 @ 9:51AM
Kevin said...
Ahh, the gut reaction. Always my favorite stories to read because they typically show a total lack of understanding of the issues. Astin and Lizz both voiced more reasoned and knowledgable accounts of the truth of this story, so I won't go into it any more than to say its awfully easy to look at a rough situation and start throwing around blame. Its much more difficult to research the situation to find out why it is that way.
Reply
5-22-2009 @ 12:17PM
Monika said...
I've read as many of the accounts as I've found -- from the offers of apartments hours away, to this http://www.getthebigpicture.net/blog/2009/2/25/filmmakers-buy-new-homes-for-slumdog-kids.html seemingly great news that has never materialized.
My point is that children should not be used until these plans are in place. Of course, the education is in place, but that's nothing without a home -- where you can study, rest, etc. That should be most important. And if they squandered it away, that's one thing. But it's been over two years since they started filming, and these children are still living in shanties and hearing about promises.
I don't believe any child should be used for someone else's gain in this way unless careful consideration is given beforehand, and implemented. If these things can't be implemented -- because of the issues with the country and location, the desperation of the parents, etc -- then these kids shouldn't be used.
5-22-2009 @ 11:50AM
Chenoz said...
These kids have been used and thrown away by the Slumdog movie makers. These kids have definitely contributed to the seccess of the movie and also to the millions made by the movie makers. It is distubing how selfish people are, including the Slumdog team. They try to depict the lives of the unfortunate and poor beautifully as if they have great empathy and as if their souls are touched, etc. If thats true, then why do we keep hearing one bad news after another about the slumdog kids? Cant they contribute a very small percentage of the profits earned to the welfare of this chiildren?
Reply
5-22-2009 @ 2:27PM
Lex said...
Monika, you're altogether an imbecile. What you don't know of the world and cinema is legion.
Reply
5-24-2009 @ 6:44AM
Sariah said...
This is such BS the kids that actually acted in the movie are being treated like crap. While the others are taking credit for their performances i.e. Frieda Pinto, I mean really what the hell did she do to deserve all this money and contracts. It just goes to show how unfair and cruel this business is.
Reply
5-24-2009 @ 7:32AM
Shellfish789 said...
Hollowood Used these kids....that's the bottom line!
Used them and took the money....what a shame!
Reply
5-24-2009 @ 7:44AM
Messa said...
I don't believe you people and I'm a liberal. So, let me understand this. Because you were lucky enough to be picked out of your slum for a few beautiful moments and paid to work, you have to have houses built for you and be supported? I see. So, every extra in hollywood that is living on noodles and gets a part in a hit movie should have houses built for them? Do you even hear yourselves? Those kids were lucky to get what they got and still, their greedy parents want more.....even to the point of selling the kids. They did a job and they got paid for it. That should be the end of the story.
Reply
5-24-2009 @ 8:29AM
BEA said...
I guess you have NOT seen this movie otherwise you would not have called these kids EXTRA"S they were the main actors in this movie the reason this movie became to be such a sucess. And then for you to make such a statement that just shows me that there are extremly self centered egotistical people like you still alive. Had these kids been from the USA they would be living in the life of luxury but because they are from India Who cares.I think we need to set up a fund for All these kids and help get them into suitable living conditions.
5-24-2009 @ 7:49AM
karren said...
what goes around comes around sooner or later. they will be judged for their ways if not by us but by a higher power. SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN NO MORE!!!!!!!!
Reply
5-24-2009 @ 8:08AM
Dennis said...
The producers and distributors of Slumdog Millionaire have a responsibility to at least assist in finding new housing for these young people. I, for one, would be glad to send a small donation somewhere to help. I've seen this kind of housing, and it's not nice. Something must be done11
Reply