Mumbai authorities tear down 'Slumdog' star's home

[JonLP24]

MUMBAI, India -- City workers bulldozed the home of a "Slumdog Millionaire" child star Thursday as part of the demolition of dozens of shanties in a Mumbai slum.

Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail was asleep when a police officer woke him up and told him to leave his family's home, he said. Shortly after that, the shack and about 30 more were destroyed.

"A police officer took a bamboo stick to hit me, and I was frightened," said 10-year-old Azhar.

Authorities say his family will be given a new home elsewhere.

Eight Oscars and $326 million in box office receipts have so far done little to improve the lives of the film's two impoverished child stars, Azhar and Rubina Ali - who were plucked from the slum to star in the blockbuster.
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/articles/2009/05/14/20090514slumdog.html