Ind-E-Focus

The makers of the multi Academy Award winning British film “Slumdog Millionaire” have vowed not to turn their backs on the young stars of the film, Rubina Ali(9) and Azharuddin Ismail (10) who have now returned to their homes in the slums of Mumbai.Producer Christian Colson and director Danny Boyle have set up trust funds for the kids and paid for their tuition. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly Boyle and Colson noted that;

"It's a really difficult situation that's spiralling out of control," Colson tells EW. "We've had to constantly re-evaluate the challenge of: If you want to lift people out of poverty, how the hell do you do that?" According to him, the children's parents rejected the filmmakers' offer to move them from their makeshift shacks into proper apartments, demanding instead payment in cash. "Nothing would be easier than to throw money at this," says Colson. "But we felt from the beginning that that would be irresponsible." So he and Boyle (with input from the film's U.S. distributor Fox Searchlight) have hired local Indian social workers to help negotiate a solution that will relocate the families into safe and clean housing. Colson can't say how soon they'll resolve the matter, but he promises he won't quit until they do. "We are committed to this," he says. "We'll still be on this in two or three years. And you can hold me to account on that." – ‘'Slumdog Millionaire' creators vow...’ Mar 5, 2009, 07:30 AM | by Missy Schwartz’’

The film not only shows a need for support in this over populated and impoverished area, but its success also suggests that film and other media can have a part to play in bringing this about.