India's 'Slumdog' child actors lead lives of glamour, poverty

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India's 'Slumdog' child actors lead lives of glamour, poverty

The children who acted in the Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire" have had a whirlwind trip to the United States. Here are some photos of their visit.

The child actors in the film "Slumdog Millionaire" went back to India as media darlings. But they live strange, paradoxical lives: glamorous events one week, poverty the next. Here Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Rubina Ali (in red) and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail arrive in Hong Kong, where they will attend a charity show.

Young Ayush Manesh Khedekarl arrives with guests for the film 'Looking for Eric' at the 62nd International Cannes Film Festival in France.

Rubina Ali watches as her house is demolished by local authorities. Dozens of police armed with bamboo batons supervised demolition crews of young men wielding sledgehammers and metal rods who tore down the shanty homes. The home of Ayush Manesh Khedekarl was also destroyed.

Rubina Ali rests inside a relative's home in a Mumbai slum. She fell sick after her shanty was demolished.

Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail (right) and Rubina Ali (left) attend a press conference in Mumbai with "Slumdog" director Danny Boyle.

Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail look at his house in Mumbai. City authorities demolished the shacks around Ismail's home but left his standing. A bulldozer and about 30 men leveled about 18 homes in Garib Nagar, or "city of the poor" slum. They left another dozen partially standing.

They were models at the India India Fashion Week in New Delhi on March 19, 2009.

They went to the home of Indian Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi with designer Leena Singh.

But they also went back to their routines, like eating breakfast. Here child actor Rubina Ali Qureshi, left, eats with a family member in her home.

Rubina also joked with her dad.

"Slumdog Millionaire" child actress Rubina Ali, left, reacts as her classmate Anjali hugs her as they await an awarding ceremony at their schools' annual function in Mumbai, India. Rubina won an award for all-round performance in her class.

Child actor Azharuddin Mohammed took his newly purchased bike to ride in the slum.

Azharuddin Mohammed also seems happy to be home.

And from the looks of things, the kids still have to do their regular chores, such as washing clothes.

It was quite another story just a month ago in February. The young stars of "Slumdog Millionaire" (from left) Rubina Ali, Tanvi Ganesh Lokar, Tanay Hemant Chheda and Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala, arrived for the 81st Academy Awards with a lot of excitement.

The young actors seemed to relish their time in the spotlight.

Megan Mylan, director/producer of the short film "Smile Pinki," celebrated her win backstage at the Oscars with Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail.

Cast members were interviewed as they arrived at a ball following the Oscars.

Rubiana Ali, 9, held director Danny Boyle's Oscar for best director at the official Oscar "after party."

Back home, neighbors of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail watched the Oscars on a small TV set.

Upon arriving in the United States, the kids went to Universal Studios, where they posed for a photo with Woody Woodpecker on Feb. 21.

After the Oscars, the kids celebrated with Mickey Mouse at Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.

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The child actors in the film "Slumdog Millionaire" went back to India as media darlings. But they live strange, paradoxical lives: glamorous events one week, poverty the next. Here Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Rubina Ali (in red) and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail arrive in Hong Kong, where they will attend a charity show.

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