The makers of Slumdog Millionaire have announced they are to donate £500,000 to a charity which will help children living in the slums of Mumbai.
Director Danny Boyle said: "It is only right that some of the success of the movie be ploughed back into the city". Two of the film's stars were rehoused after criticism they were still living in poverty after the film's release. Danny Boyle’s salaciously seamy “Slumdog Millionaire” has walked away with 10 Oscar nominations. Nothing unusual. David Fincher’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” has clinched 13. Earlier in 1950, “All About Eve” won 14. So did the 1997 “Titanic”. “Gone with the Wind”, “From Here to Eternity”, “Mary Poppins”, “Forrest Gump”, “Shakespeare in Love” and others got 13 each.
'Intimidating odds'
Child actors Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail, who played young versions of two main characters, were moved to new homes by the Indian authorities.
"Having benefited so much from the hospitality of the people of Mumbai it is only right that some of the success of the movie be ploughed back into the city in areas where it is needed most and where it can make a real difference to some lives," Boyle said of the charitable donation.
"Despite intimidating odds, extraordinary work is going on to help people break the cycle of poverty through education. We're delighted that this initiative will add to that ongoing work," he added.
The cash will fund a five-year project to help poor children in the city, which will be run by the organisation Plan. It is thought the charity, which works in nearly 50 countries, will train people in good hygiene and set up education schemes.
Plan's Marie Staunton said: "Around one billion of the world's population live in slums and there are 100,000 new slum dwellers every day. "Slumdog Millionaire has shown audiences around the world a snapshot of what life is like for one in six people on the planet."
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