'Slumdog' Filmmakers Donate $747,000 To Mumbai Street Children Charity

MUMBAI, India — The makers of the hit movie "Slumdog Millionaire" have donated $747,500 to a charity devoted to improving the lives of street children in Mumbai, the filmmakers said Thursday.

The money will be given to Plan, an international children's charity that has been working in India since 1979.

The aim is to help educate 5,000 slum kids over the next five years.

"The bottom line is that some of the beneficiaries of the film's success have got together to make a donation which will be channeled into relatively small communities where it can hopefully have a tangible and lasting impact," producer Christian Colson told The Associated Press by e-mail.

"Slumdog Millionaire," a rags-to-riches tale of a slum kid who makes it big, won eight Oscars and has grossed more than $300 million worldwide.

Some criticized the filmmakers for failing to share those riches with Mumbai's millions of slum dwellers. Others accused them of exploiting two of the movie's child stars, Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, who grew up in a wretched Mumbai slum just minutes from a posh Bollywood enclave.

The filmmakers' initial efforts to help the families of Rubina, 9, and Azharuddin, 10, were thwarted by excessive media attention, the changing demands of family members and the runaway success of the film.

Sudden fame and relative fortune sowed resentment in the families of the child stars and complicated relations with their neighbors.

The filmmakers feared that if they gave the families a lump sum up front the money would be squandered or extorted.

The filmmakers said Thursday they have appointed three trustees with long experience in social services to manage a trust fund for the two children. They said the children can tap the trust funds after they graduate from high school.

The Jai Ho Trust aims to ensure that the pair will get a good education, adequate housing and social support, the filmmakers said. They did not disclose the amount of the trust fund.

Comments

[joxi]

They gave 750K$, and they made $300milion, jour kidding me. ALL THE $ SHOULD GO TO THE CAUSE,
how about that.

i am a filmmaker, you thik it was expansive to make a film in inida and in the slum, this is very lo budget, who knows how and if the extras are payed, the location..­.

they shouldnt use the slum people to shoot the movie(they should have professionals $$$), they practically destroyed their lives. Do you know that people who win lottery and are from the poor surrounding get seriously depressed and even commit a suiciede along the way.

This is a terribly childish, irresponsible production­.... all very disturbing.

[cocolola]

A wonderful thing.

[firewmn]

Glad to hear about the charity work for children..­. (I personally did not like the movie) but wonderful for the kids..

[hollybork]

This is very generous. It still does not make Danny's movie any easier to watch. Mumbai is a stinking pile and this money will be a needle lost in the pile. What a place! What a country!

[LAchick]

Must be nice to dismiss a country so easily, I would love to have such a narrow view of the world. It would make going through life so much easier if I never had to bother thinking critically :)

[MLCooknc]

My comment is from someone who only visited India for the first time last year. That said, it seems you're painting an entire city, people, and country with an awfully broad brush. To be sure, India obviously has many problems, not the least being poverty, illiteracy, caste and gender discrimination, and corruption. However, that said, the country has managed to improve it economy markedly over the past two decades or so and the people are among the most dignified and hard working I have ever encountered anywhere. In addition, India's history and culture is awe inspiring.
Surely you must recognize that the country had a very tall hill to climb after the 1947 partition. Considering its disparate needs and people, I think India's doing the best it can under very difficult circumstances. I would return there in a minute though must admit one doesn't always see pretty things on the subcontinent ... after all, it's not Switzerland.

[liminal67]

Great gesture...­thanks Danny..

http://pitchbendpost.blogspot.com/

[mdn]

In India, this is a good sum of money that can go far to help people who are unbelievably poor and live in wretched conditions. It would be like giving $100 million in the US economy. Education is the only real hope out of this destitute life. I am glad they understand the importance of sharing their success.

[Just2stressed]

I hope they were not pressured into doing this. They owe the children of Mumbai nothing. Business is business.

[MNinWI]

wow-how terrible to be you.

[TruEngineHearing]

Yech !!

Here's some business for ya' - After I saw them returned - in tears, to a life of excrutiating poverty I made it a point to not see the film until I know that these 2 kids are lifted from depression and a slum life.

You're obviously just2stressed to help anyone, so crawl away and do your business.

[SaucyB]

so why don't you send them some money?

[omobob]

Me too. Good riddance to bad rubbish. Money first! So what if they’re blinded and crippled. Get a job. They should pick themselves up by their own boot straps. Wait, they don’t have boots. Or straps. Or food. Or clothing. Or hope. Or a future. boy, I hope for your sake that was satire and not one of the most callous and despicable pieces of commentary it has been my displeasure to endure.

[Just2stressed]

Tough luck for those of you getting all worked up by my comment.

[MLCooknc]

Where on earth is your compassion? What if you were a Mumbai street child?!

[Just2stressed]

I do feel bad that the kids live in the slums but like I said, business is business.

[achilles83]

That's all??? He can do Bloody better!!!

[SaucyB]

he doesn't HAVE TO do anything! they had a bloody contract!

[SColbert]

he had a contract before the film made all its millions and earned all this recognition. If you have more, you should give more. Especially to the real reason (the children) why your movie is successful!

[Just2stressed]

I said basically the same thing and got 'mauled' for saying it.

[ptobe]

Really? You have access to all the financial details?

Oh, goody - please, don't keep it to yourself..­. So, how much were the profits? What was the production cost? How much was spent on marketing? What kind of deal did the producers get? How much does the distribution company take home? What was Mr. Boyle's fee? How many 'points' does he have in the deal? How many production companies are involved? What's the specific breakdown for the proceeds from the dvd sales?

Thanks, I look forward to detailed answers to these questions - questions that are absolutely germane to discussion of whether or not He can do Bloody better.

[omobob]

Ah, the legal angle on how movie companies hide profits from actors and shareholders, crying crocidile tears from how cash strapped they are after garnering 150 million on a medium budgeted film. Greedy movie moguls v.s. needy poor people. Hideous PR blunder. You must be a lawyer.