The child star of the suceessful film Slumdog Millionaire, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail returned on the streets after his house was demolished by the BMC officials on Thursday, May 14, 2009.
Azharuddin played the young Salim in the multiple Oscar winning film by Danny Boyle. This Child star from Slumdog Millionaire played a role that he was very familiar with. Slumdog Millionaire is about the story of a man from Mumbai’s slums who appeared on the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.” In 2009, the film was nominated for Academy Awards and has won eight awards in Oscars in 2008.
After enjoying a short taste of worldwide fame and success, Azharuddin lost his make-shift house after the officials of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai bulldozed the shanties in the Garib Nagar slum in Bandra East. Early morning on May 14, 2009 in Mumbai, Azharuddin was awakened by a strike of a bamboo stick from the officials of BMC who announced that his home was about to be bulldozed. Along with his family, the 10-year-old child star was forced to leave the premises just about minutes before a bulldozer ruined their house. The authorities have demolished 30 houses for the reason that they were illegally constructed on a government ground that was intended to be a public garden. U.D. Mistry, who is part of Bombay Municipal Corporation of the city, said in the Associated Press that, “They were removed. That is the principle.” Though he was not aware that the ‘Slumdog’ child star resides in one of the shanties, consisting of bamboo sticks and plastic sheets, it would have been safe to say that he would have done something if only he had known.
The mother of Azharuddin, Shamim Ismail said that, “I don’t think that will happen anymore.” She claimed that she don’t know what is going to happen on her family now. The director of Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle, has set up a trust fund for the children that they can obtain when they grow older. Also, they have been promised a better education and a better place to live in a much safer location of Mumbai. Azharuddin’s family needs an immediate help. It would be a shame to think that he is one of the famous stars of Slumdog Millionaire, sharing the same glory of winning the Oscars with his cast mates, is now left in the slums and without a home.
Azharuddin said that he was embarrassed of living in such conditions despite of gaining so much fame. He said that, “I am such a big hero and I live here, I feel ashamed. If there was anyone else in my place, he would have got a good house.” The mother of Azharuddin also alleged that they were not warned prior of the demolition. The destruction of the home of the Ismail family is of the highly-publicized tragedy to ever befall on a young cast member of the Slumdog Millionaire.
No related posts.
