'Slumdog' Child Star Gets New, 250-Square-Foot Home

MUMBAI, India — The makers of the hit movie "Slumdog Millionaire" have bought a new home for one of the two child stars discovered in Mumbai's slums.

Both children lost their homes last month when authorities demolished parts of their slum.

The purchase of a 250-square-foot (23-square-meter) one-bedroom apartment for the family of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, 10, was completed Monday, said Nirja Mattoo, who helps oversee the Jai Ho trust set up by the filmmakers to help Azharuddin and his 9-year-old co-star Rubina Ali.

"They can move in," Mattoo told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "I'm just waiting for their consent."

Ownership of the tiny apartment, which cost about 2.5 million rupees ($50,000), will be transferred from the trust to Azharuddin when he turns 18, provided he completes school, Mattoo said.

"He has to complete an education. We are very clear about that," she said. She declined to say what would happen to the property if he does not finish school.

The apartment is located in Santa Cruz West, a suburb of Mumbai just north of the slum where the two children now live.

Mattoo said the trust is actively looking for a new home for Rubina.

Story continues below

advertisement

The government has also started the process of giving both children apartments, and the family of Azharuddin _ known as Azhar _ hopes to get both, his mother said.

"After Azhar is grown up, he can stay in one," said Shameem Ismail. "Me and my husband can stay in the other. Both houses are small."

On Tuesday, Azhar's family toured the apartment the government has offered them in Malvani, on the northern outskirts of Mumbai. Ismail described the flat as "small but good."

"The only problem is it's far away from Azhar's school," she said.

Azhar said he likes both houses.

"I'll take my friends to visit," he said, squatting with two friends in front of his shanty roasting jackfruit seeds in a fire built from old newspapers and sticks.

The boys said they'd miss him.

Comments

[uinsane]

uhh geez Danny, is like pulling his tooth - 250sq - 50k apt - shame on you Danny! 350+ mil movie stared mainly with these kids but giving them penny here penny there - SHAME ON YOU!

[ltva]

I don't want to sound harsh but why are these children and their familes the continued responsibility of the movie studio? Weren't these kids paid for their role in the movie? Do filmakers/studios do this for American children who appear in movies?

[GeoLee]

16 feet by 16 feet equals 256 square feet. In the 60's a standard bedroom in our country was 8 X 12 so we are talking about the size of two bedrooms in a typical ranch house of the 60's. Pretty small by our standards, but probably not by slum in India standards. I would think the show's producers could do better than that for the stars fo that wonderful movie. I guess they would not want to offend the caste system of India by "moving then up town" now would they?

[IbeHappy]

An efficiency apartment in most of America is around 450 sq feet and designed for a maximum of two people. It doesn't say how big his family is but if it is over three people in 250 sq feet, it is very cramped by our standards. And what kind of sanitary and kitchen facilities come in it? For $50,000!!!

The real question remains, since the trust is putting conditions on all this, is how much money did the film make and what did they get? If they were primary characters in the film, and hence part of its success, you would think that they should get paid more than what an advertising firm in America woudl pay for an animal actor in a pet food commercial.

[PatA]

Anyone know the square footage of either of the movie executive's homes? I bet they have closets bigger than that apartment!

[crayola 08b]

250 sq feet? wow, that's small. poor little guy, i hope everything works out for him.

[Rudyabdul]

250 sq. ft? Gosh, an efficiency apartment in this country is larger and cheaper.

Well, at least it's better than living in slums.

[A Denise Moore]

In Mumbai, the government is trying to move all it's tennents to suburbs or community living apartments (which have schools, play areas, grocery stores, etc) within a single apartment complex. All this is being done to retrieve the land in Mumbai because it's valuable and close to the city. Funny thing is that the developer is from New York!

[dagdavid]

250 square feet?!

[hollybork]

This is unbelievable. $50,000 for 24 square feet in Mumbai? What??

[PunKinPai]

250 sq. ft., not 24.

[GeoLee]

We can only hope it has some accommodations on the inside that give them some comforts as the shell should not cost anywhere near that price in India. Let u hope for running water, bathroom, stove and kitchen sink and maybe some novel ways to use the space for beds and some little privacy for all. built ins would be nice.

[davidwayneosedach]

$50,000 sounds pretty steep for a tiny apartment in the slums of Mumbai.

[Skyhawk]

See kid? If you're a somebody you can get anything.

[SuzyQ08]

Real estate prices are quite high in Mumbai (very similar to NYC), so I'm not surprised at the price. However I don't understand why they bought this child and his family such a small place. Couldn't they have gotten something a little bit bigger?

I am however glad that their living conditions have improved from before. If only all the poor families could be this fortunate.

[PiscesPrincess]

If they think its big enough why are you concerned about it. they obviously lived in smaller digs before.

[andvoodoo2]

HOORAY!

I'm so glad for the kid and his family. That's certainly a step up from a cardboard shack.

Now, I just hope his parents don't sublet the place to 50 of their friends and relatives. (If they did, it wouldn't surprise me one bit.)

[larce1948]

Ahh, The generosity of the absurdly rich! These A holes will probably get some sort of award for that grand gesture. And, Right now, some schlub in a trailer park is worried that the Hilton sisters may have to pay the dreadful "Death Tax". S'cuse Me! America is insane.