The star kids of Slumdog Millionaire have been living an extraordinary life since the film nominated for the Oscars. It gave these kids a dream; they exposed to the limelight and saw the opposite side of the life they never seen before and again returned to the same place but, with added baggage.
They are standing at a window and seeing the world where normal things do not happen. They are witnessing camera, arclight, highlife, money, greed, drama and behind them their actual world lies and in between their normal childhood snatched. Who's responsible?
A news website claimed a sting operation on the family alleging Rubina one of the child stars' father tried to sell her. It became headlines worldover riding on the Oscar wave. The kids again got the 'celebrity shot'.
At the fringes of slum of Mumbai where these stars live a month-long festival of democracy begun- the Indian general elections. Political parties are fighting bitterly and doing the same thing in desi style what Danny Boyle has done successfully for his audiences abroad.
The grand old party of India has envisioned 'fortune' riding on the Slumdog's "Jai Ho". They even tried to have these children for campaigning. Millions are flowing in these elections on such brazen initiatives. Dharavi would be still there with all its dogs. Who cares?
Salam Bombay star toiling hard in Bangalore as an autowallah and Born into Brothels child stars slipped into same hell. The child stars of the eight-time Oscar winning film may have a life where they will get basic necessities fulfilled or they achieve something in life. What about billions of Rubinas and Azhars in this country.
What are they doing-the Boyles or Mira Nairs? They have their ambitions and civil liberty and freedom of expression in this country work as a tool for them to exploit in the garb of thinking film directors. But, the question is what we are doing- as a citizen, as a government, as an activist, as a writer, blogger…
Wait until a new scandal broke out and cameras following these children…
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