"Slumdog" Star's Home Demolished

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

13 May 2009 09:20 PM

Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail no longer has a home in the slums of Mumbai. But, that's not necessarily a good thing.

City workers bulldozed the home of the "Slumdog Millionaire" child star, and now the 10-year-old boy and his family are reportedly homeless.

According to reports, Azhar was hit by police and told to vacate his home. Shortly after the boy left his home, demolition crews leveled it along with 30 others.

"A police officer took a bamboo stick to hit me, and I was frightened," said Azhar.

Authorities say Azhar's family will be given a new home elsewhere, but so far they have yet to be transferred to the government-built housing they were promised. Reports say such official promises of resettlement often amount to nothing.

Azhar's life is a far cry from what it was earlier this year when he and fellow "Slumdog" child star Rubina Ali were whisked away from their shanty towns and taken to Hollywood to attend the Oscars.

Unfortunately, eight Academy Awards and $326 million in box office receipts have done little to improve the lives of the film's two impoverished child stars. Save for their brief burst of fame, Azhar and Rubina have little to be happy about.

Sadly for young Azhar, demolition crews didn't give prior notice before tearing down his home, so he didn't get a chance to take out his belongings.

Officials with the city's Bombay Municipal Corporation said the slum's razing was part of a "pre-monsoon demolition drive." They also noted that only illegally built shanties - not homes that were legally owned - were bulldozed.

Reports say Azhar's family has lived in the shanty town for more than 15 years, but now they are homeless.

Meanwhile, "Slumdog" filmmakers say they've done their best to help the young stars, including setting up a trust, called Jai Ho, after the hit song from the film, to ensure the children get proper homes, a good education and a nest egg when they finish high school.

Too bad Azhar and Rubina have to be 18 to access the funds. At the rate their lives are going they'll be lucky if they see their 11th birthdays, let alone graduate from high school.

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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