Jesus, it’s about time.  A week after his shanty got demolished and three months after both the filmmakers and an Indian housing authority promised him a house, Slumdog actor Azharudin Ismail finally has a new home.

Director Danny Boyle and producer Christian Colson flew into Mumbai.  Smiling and hugging the children, Boyle said a home had been bought for Ismail, 9, who played the character of Salim as a child. He added they would soon buy one for Ali as well, who plays the young Latika.

The “Jai Ho” trust, named after the film’s award-winning track, and set up by Boyle and Colson, is meant to pay for the education and basic living costs of Ismail and Ali until they turn 18. A director for the trust said the apartment for Ismail was “comfortable, in a good neighborhood (and) near his school” and cost “upwards of 2 million rupees” ($42,000).

Boyle, who came under fire for not doing enough for the children who lived in squalor despite the film’s success, blamed the media for raising the families’ expectations. “Inevitably, the tension and pressure is media generated,” he said, after greeting Ali and Ismail with a hug.  “They were given access to a world, an extraordinary and glamorous world, and they understandably want their lives to be completely transformed,” Boyle said. “The homes are a concern. That is one of the reasons why we built the trust.” [THR]

Boyle’s got a point.  These kids didn’t have huge parts in the movie.  You pay people for their work – just because your movie does well doesn’t mean you have to go back and pay your extras’ mortgages.  Really it’s India that’s the problem.  You can’t claim the kids as national heroes and then knock their house down and then demand that the west give you more money..  Even in North Korea they give you a shiny uniform.

Slumdog Millionaire actor Azharrudin Mohammed famously got slapped around by his father a while back, but that’s nothing compared to Rubina Ali’s dad, who literally tried to sell his daughter to the highest bidder. Said one prospective buyer, “Quick and easy transaction, lightning-fast shipping, great kid – would ‘come again,’ lol. A++ seller.”

In a bid to escape India’s real-life slums, Rafiq Qureshi put angel-faced darling of the Oscars Rubina up for adoption, demanding millions of rupees worth £200,000.
As he offered the shocking deal to the News of the World’s undercover fake sheik this week, Rafiq declared: “I have to consider what’s best for me, my family and Rubina’s future.”  Rafiq tried to blame Hollywood bosses for forcing him to put his daughter up for SALE. As he tried to fix the illegal adoption deal, real-life slum dweller Rafiq declared: “We’ve got nothing out of this film.” [this despite earlier reports that the filmmakers had bought Ali's family a house and paid for her education]

Then, almost embarrassed to speak it out loud, he whispered to an accomplice the price tag he has put on his innocent young daughter: “It’s £200,000!” [$294,882]
That was an astonishing FOURFOLD increase on his opening demand. But Rafiq’s equally demanding brother Mohiuddin insisted: “The child is special now. This is NOT an ordinary child. This is an Oscar child!” [NewsoftheWorld]

The source article goes into greater detail and there’s even a video.  Bottom line, it sounds pretty bad, but being that Rubina Ali currently lives in a Mumbai slum with a father who wants to sell her, there’s a decent chance getting adopted would actually be better for her. I also like how in the video, the British reporter keeps trying to say her name, but the way they pronounce it over there, it sounds like “Ru Beaner.”  It’s like she’s a Mexican drag queen or something.

Some geniuses in Mumbai have gathered to protest Slumdog Millionaire - because of its shameful depiction of people who live in slums. Depictions of them as dogs, you see.  (Not a peep about being called millionaires.)

“I am poor, but don’t call me slumdog,” said Rekha Dhamji, 18, one of about two dozen slum residents who protested outside the home of one of the movie’s actors, Anil Kapoor. “I don’t want to be referred to as a dog,” she said.

Little known fact: Slumdog Millionaire‘s working title was actually Rekha Dhamji is a Dog.

“The film is going to be a terrific inspiration to kids around India. It’s a feel-good film, a film of hope,” said Kapoor, who grew up in a Mumbai slum [haha, he grew up ka-POOR]. He dismissed claims that the word “slumdog” was offensive. “Children from the slums are actually called much worse names.”  Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy said people should not read too much into the word. “I just made up the word. I liked the idea. I didn’t mean to offend anyone,” he said.

Other protesters held up banners reading “Poverty For Sale,” [?] and “I am not a dog.” One of them carried a puppy [which seems confusing...]. Nicholas Almeida, a social activist who organized the protest, said he planned to file a lawsuit on Friday to get the name changed. [Yahoo]

Way to go Nick. While other lazy f-cks were off giving vaccinations and handing out clean water, you courageously crusaded on behalf of the downtrodden (or said you planned to, anyway).  In any case, time to get a job, slummies.  These soccer balls ain’t gonna sew themselves.  Chop chop, time is rupees.