"Slumdog Millionaire" Kids Return Home To Heroes' Welcome (VIDEO)

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From AP:
MUMBAI, India — The child stars of the Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" returned to India on Thursday to a chaotic but rousing heroes' welcome.

Hundreds of well-wishers waited for them at the Mumbai airport, where dozens of police, some heavily armed, were needed to escort the children through the cheering crowds.

The film, a rags-to-riches tale set in Mumbai's slums, was the darling of the Academy Awards, winning eight Oscars, including the award for best picture.

The four children came out with arms around each others shoulders. The only girl, Rubina Ali, 9, clutched a small fluffy brown toy bunny.

They waved and blew kisses to the crowd, showing off their newly acquired red carpet skills.

Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, 8, who plays the youngest version of Jamal, the main character in the film, was hoisted onto someone's shoulders before the children where whisked away in waiting cars without talking to waiting reporters.

It was not immediately clear where they were taken.

Story continues below

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With the film's success, the children have become instant celebrities in movie-crazy India, particularly Ali and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, 10, who were plucked from slums to play parts in the film.

The movie's two Indian Oscar winners, composer A. R. Rahman and sound engineer Resul Pookutty also were met by cheering throngs who showered them in flower petals as they arrived in their home towns.

Rahman, who won Oscars for musical score and the best song "Jai Ho" _ "Be Victorious" in English _ led the dancing crowd in chants of "Jai Ho!"

"They (the fans) almost killed me with their love," he told The Press Trust of India after landing in the southern city of Chennai.

Pookutty was also overwhelmed by his reception.

"I never expected something like this," he told reporters. "This is history being made," he said of his award.

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Comments

[JakeRedd]

I don't think the movie was intended to be about poverty in India. Sadly, though, that is how westerners would see it - despite the fact India has been progressing in leaps and bounds economically and is poised to overtake the US within the next 50 years if growth continues at its current rate. How economic progress would benefit India's poor is another matter, but then the same question applies to America right now.

[VictorianNovel]

The two kids from the slums are moving into apartments worth 20,000 pounds by the producers as well as having their education paid for with trust funds for college. The producers are also working with an NGO to provide the families with a social worker as a liason to ensure the kids' well being in the next few years.

[Tyler Brown]

I for one am glad that Hollywood was finally able to solve the problems of poverty in the post-colonial world.

[DoesItMatter]

Was that sarcasm?

[JamesLM207]

It's just fascinating to watch the western media try to turn this commercial British film into some sort of Indian liberationist triumph. a film which perpetuates stereotypes, denies the realities of the indian caste system, and reinforces the feel-good aspect that westerners want to have (so they can deny the ways in which western extravagance causes suffering elsewhere in the world). it's unreal.

[TimothyD11]

First of all it was a GREAT movie.

But what is your suggested solution to the problem that we cause over there?

[trinity29]

do you really think the film was trying to speak to a social justice cause? why do you start castigating the film for india's caste when they film neither privileged it nor made it a focus of their story? are all films suppose to address all the social ills of the context in which they narrate the story?

[SColbert]

The amount of love between Indians is just so great. An achievement by an individual is always seen as a moment of pride for the nation.

[kdas]

Great moment at 00:56 where one of the kids from the slum gives it to the clawing crowd. Translates, in spirit, to something like "Get the f*** out of my face".

What an crazy roller-coaster ride for these guys. Wish them luck and enduring happiness.

[LindaLeigh]

So cool! Those kids made the movie!!

[breakingpoint]

I wonder if they will make a movie about these kids and what happens to them after Hollywood

[1sparrow]

to all those that have ambiguous feelings toward slumdog--- i bet you don't dance.

[MLCooknc]

Hear, hear!!

[bellepepper02]

You're so right! I can't get over how you hit the nail on the head! In Singapore, where I watched the movie, many filmgoers left while the closing dance routine was playing. I thought, are they crazy!

[ie]

One must remember not to constantly judge other people and their culture by one's own standards. Not all of the world wants to be, nor should be, just like America. I think those who traveled to India to make this film have a great understanding of the culture and will make appropriate arrangements for these children.

There is great poverty in many places in the world and it can not be changed over night. One of the greatest defenses against poverty and corruption is EDUCATION.

[brooklyncitizen]

india is home to one third of the world's poor....ye­t they claim to be an educated democracy.
there are no words to describe the poverty one sees in india....i was heartbroken and stunned.

[abius83]

India is home to one third of the world's poor. Fact Accepted. But why does that negate another fact that india is an educated democracy?
Actually - i would go ahead and say its the largest educated democracy by sheer numbers. If you look at the percentage of literates and not so - then you
have a point. But india is a country with a billion people where statistical percentages just dont work all the time. Like the previous poster said - theres only two ways
a country of India's proportions can resolve poverty, governance, corruption, economic stability and so forth - they are education and responsible politics. The latter is
impossible and would defy the fundamentals of probability if it would ever happen. The former is the only way and it takes time - when you have one third of the world's poor.
And again - the definition of poor is set by the UN and strictly says a $1.25 per day or below as poor - which doesnt always hold good.

[LegalCat]

Well, I finally saw it. It was an ok movie. I didn't hate it or anything. Nice, sweet, kind of manipulative but not bad. All of the dramatic tension was based on a stupid TV game show which I would never have ordinarily chosen to watch; the movie was, in many ways, an adaptation of a TV show along the lines of "Get Smart" or "The Fugitive" -- except of course that the real TV show would have had more dramatic tension because there would have been some actual doubt in my mind as to whether he could answer the questions. Here, everyone saw the ending coming five minutes into the movie. Cute kids, knock-out gorgeous female star (big shocker in an Indian movie), ok flick.

But I sure don't see what the mass hysteria was about. "Milk" was a much better movie, and I think "Benjamin Button" was too, although I know some people didn't get into its pacing. But 8 Oscars? I don't see it. The music, yes. The music deserved all the praise it could get; it was outstanding. But the rest of it, particularly "Best Picture," I just don't see, or at any rate I don't see it based on the actual quality of the movie.

Maybe it's just me. I thought "There Will Be Blood" and "No Country for Old Men" sucked too.

[andvoodoo2]

"Benjamin Button" was a MUCH better movie than "Slumdog".

And, I agree with you re. "No Country For Old Men". I hated it! I usually like the Coen brothers but, my opinion of them changed with "No Country".

[UnknownSoldier]

300 million people live in America, you are just one the people that the movie was not for. Warner Bros. didn't like the movie either and sold it to Fox Searchlight. Fox Searchlight saw what was a very good movie and rode it all the way to a Best Picture award.

[Alka Aggarwal]

I totally agree with you... my sentiments exactly ..and I am from India!!!..­I too felt the movie was too gory and gruesome in parts ..and very contrived at best..
hated "No country for old men"
I thought Milk deserved more too

[andvoodoo2]

Have those children gotten out of the slums yet?
I see where they had to have heavily armed police escprt them away from the airport. Did those police then return them to their cardboard shacks in the slums?

These children have stated people are jealous of them. They need to be taken out of the ghettos they live in. They represent the big pockets of Hollywood to the slum dwellers. That enviornment isn't safe for those kids.

[roseytrebles]

No, Boyle and the studio heads or someone have bought really slick apartments for all of the kids and their families.

[LaurenO]

it's already been widely reported that they are being bought apartments on the edges of the slum (per their families request to stay near extended family and friends).

[vesaversa1]

No but they will be given new homes out of the slums soon .

[VictorianNovel]

The kids are being moved out into apartments:

From THE DAILY MAIL:

A paternal looking Boyle accompanied youngsters Rubina Ali and Azhruddin Mohammed to Santa Monica Pier for a seaside day out of fun and games.

Their trip comes the day after a fairytale visit to Disney World. And after it was revealed that the poverty stricken child stars of are now set to be property tycoons.

Boyle and producer Christian Colson told the Daily Mail that Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Rubina Ali and their families will be moved to apartments worth £20,000 each in the coming months.

Producers said they would work with an NGO to find a suitable social worker to liaise with the families to ensure the children’s wellbeing over the next few years.

Boyle said: ‘It is not about throwing cash at the problem – that doesn’t work. It is about investing in the long term. The key thing is to make sure they stay in school.

‘We want the kids to have more than wealth, we want them to have the skills that will set them up for life.

Boyle added that he and the film’s investors and distributors were also setting up a fund for the slum and street children of Mumbai.

So far £500,000 has been set aside as an initial figure but this is expected to rise.

[BowlingForRevenge]

I believe the producers are doing the right thing. To hand these families money would be a disaster. Much like lottery winners who are broke in a few years. If you've never had real money then you aren't knowledgeable about handling money. Having "just enough" is the same as having none in finance.
Can you imagine the evil people that would pray on the families. Those children would be perfect kidnap victims if the culprits knew they parents had money in the bank or...under their mattresses.
To give the children lovely secure homes and food an utiliyies will allow their parents to be able to pursue careers without worrying about how the rent will be paid. This freedom is worth way more than a lot of cash that could be lost through uninformed decisions.

Even Hollywood kids have a large % of their pay set aside for when they turn 18...it's the law. Naming your parent as your manager is the only way parents get hold of the BIG bucks!
Are ya listening Jamie Spears and Deana Lohan????

[terramartom]

How ironic that now these kids will turn into "Bollywood" brats, with the same addiction and psycological issues facing Western child actors.

[livesimply]

What a sorry assumption.

[damali]

Did you get your Crystal Ball from Walmart or Sam's Club?

[SonyaInTx]

I am very happy for the whole cast and crew who made Slumdog Millionaire a success.

It was a very nice video to see the Indian people so happy.

[livesimply]

Agreed! Sure, it wn't solve India's poverty problem, but how great for these kids. They did a really fine job acting too.

[justthomas]

SO OPPORTUNISTIC. Its great those kids got a chance to be in movie and getting a better opportunity. But no Indians care about millions of children from slums in Bombay. They are like trash value. This is reality about millions of street children in India. Indians respect those kids when fame came and knock at their door. but otherwise they are just like dogs on Indian streets. Nobody cares for them. If you hhave doubt see thelifein reality in India. Or watch some documentaries about the street kids and slum children in India. Indians are so proud about being 21stcentury emerging super poer, but they dont have money to take care of their poor children on street. still 70 percent of Indian population live on 2-5 dollars a day. they have money to waste on lunar programs, nuclear programs, and so on, but no time and money to build up a better infrastructre or to take care of or bring up the solutions to bring up the life of millions of poor people in slums and also in villages of India.

[Edgar1884]

[nevadagirl]

The U.S. has money for a bloated military but not enogh to fix the mess from Katrina and build a decent levy.

[patrickgarret]

POT MEET KETTLE? Sorry statement coming from a US Citizen. THE ONLY INDUSTRIALIZED NATION ON EARTH WITHOUT SOME FORM OF SOCIAL MEDICINE. Sad.