Mumbai's civic authorities render 'Slumdog Millionaire' kids homeless

Mumbai, May 14 (ANI): Nearly 20 children who acted in the Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire", including Azharuddin Ismail, got a shock when civic authorities on Thursday demolished the polythene sheet-covered roof which used to house them in Garib Nagar slum area of Mumbai.

Ismail shot to fame after his role as Salim, the young role of the movie's central character.

Ismail was sleeping when the civic authorities landed with the bulldozers and asked his family to vacate the house.

The actor's family alleged that the demolition was carried out without any prior notice.

"They did not inform us. No notice was given to us. They suddenly came and ran the bulldozer on our houses and broke everything in the slum area," said Samina Banu, Azharuddin's mother.

Ismail Shaikh, father of Azharuddin Ismail, quipped that their life has become similar to a 'dog' as the earthmoving machinery of the civic authorities bulldozed the houses of the poor families without any notice.

"Its not about Azhar or me. It's about all the poor people here. They made a movie 'Slumdog' and similarly we are living life of a dog here. Anybody can come here and run a bulldozer over our houses," Ismail Shaikh said.

Indian authorities had promised new homes for Azharuddin and his co-star Rubina Ali after their return from the Oscars since they had been residing in slums.

But that promise seems to have gone into oblivion and Azharuddin has now been forced to live on streets in contrast to his stint of walking the red carpet at the Oscars in Los Angeles.

The civic authorities razed down 12 other huts in the area during the demolition drive. (ANI)