It’s been a triumphant return to the streets of Mumbai, India, for the young stars of “Slumdog Millionaire.”
They arrived back home today from Los Angeles, where they saw the film win eight Oscars Sunday night, including one for best picture.
Proud relatives and neighbors cheered and warmly embraced the two child stars who returned home today.
The young actor who portrays Salim, the hero’s brother, displayed some fancy Bollywood moves as he danced to the throbbing music from the movie.
Rubina Ali, the 9-year-old who plays the film’s heroine, Latika, as a child, was carried on her father’s shoulders. She waved at people who gathered on the rickety roofs and on balconies. Less than a week after walking the red carpet and romping through Disneyland, she was back in a home that sits above a sea of trash.
It’s not clear what the future holds for the young actors. The director of the film says he wants them to get an education rather than a jackpot, a “slow nurturing” instead of a “sudden dash for glory.”
So, the moviemakers got them into a nonprofit English-language school, and set up trust funds they can tap once they graduate.