Slumdog an Evasive Fantasy

Slum residents feel film's title is demeaning

(NEWSER) - Slumdog Millionaire has drawn widespread critical praise and earned 10 Oscar nominations today, but some residents of Mumbai slums find the title insulting, the AP reports. Protesters demonstrated outside the office of Bollywood star Anil Kapoor, who appears in the film, holding signs saying "Poverty For Sale" and "I am not a dog." More»

(NEWSER) - The makers of Slumdog Millionaire have bought a home for one of the film’s Indian child actors whose real-life shanty was demolished by the Mumbai government, Reuters reports. Azharuddin Ismail is now living in a “comfortable” apartment “in a good neighborhood near his school,” an exec from the fund established by director Danny Boyle said. It plans to do the same for another young star in a similar situation. More»

Ali's father beaten by police in demolition

(AP) - The shanty home of another Slumdog Millionaire child star was torn down by Mumbai authorities today as they demolished part of a city slum where she lived. The stepmother of 9-year-old Rubina Ali, who portrayed a young Latika, the Oscar-winning film's heroine, said her husband was beaten by police who were supervising the demolition. She said he was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. More»

(NEWSER) - Children broke into Bollywood dance numbers in the narrow lanes of a teeming Mumbai slum today, as they gathered to watch Slumdog Millionaire's domination of the Oscars. Two of Slumdog's child actors, Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, hail from this desperately poor neighborhood, and their every appearance elicited squeals of joy from the crowd. "My eyes couldn't believe that I was seeing Rubina in America," said one friend. More»

Filmmakers deny they underpaid children

(NEWSER) - The creators of Slumdog Millionaire are taking the offensive to rebut accusations that the young Indian actors in their film were exploited, People reports. Claims surfaced earlier this week that two of the child actors, still living in the slums of Mumbai, got a raw deal. But director Danny Boyle and producer Christian Colson say “painstaking attention” was paid to ensure that the actors would get a good education through age 18. More»