Photograph of Azharuddin Ismail in the ruins of his home taken from the TimesUK online

When I watched Slumdog Millionaire, I was inspired. The story was touching and the actors did such a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life. You may have heard about the recent outcry at the children that starred in a movie that won 8 Academy Awards and took in over $326,000,000 have reaped none of the benefits. They are still living in poverty in the slums they resided in prior to their 'immense good fortune'.

Today I read that Azharuddin Ismail, who played Salim as a child in the movie, has had his shanty demolished. Prior to the demolition, the tarpaulin-covered home provided some sort of shelter from the elements, but had no running water and an open sewer running along the side of it. Azharuddin is 9 years old and now he and his family are homeless. They have a couple of broken suitcases of clothing and utensils. The government in Mumbai promised housing for Azharuddin and his co-star Rubina Ali months ago. It obviously hasn't materialised.

From the Times UK:

"A police officer took a bamboo stick to hit me, and I was frightened," Azharuddin said. “We have nowhere to go. All our belongings and other household goods have been thrown out or damaged. We don’t know what we will eat today,”

It is thought that about 20 other children who appeared in the Oscar-winning film were also left homeless by the demolition drive, which was carried out to clear drainage paths before next month’s monsoon.

Slumdog Millionaire dazzled audiences around world and won eight Oscars, but its makers have been criticised for not sharing more of the profits with the two child actors that they plucked from shantytowns.

Fears were raised over their wellbeing last month when another child star, Rubina Ali, 9, was allegedly offered for sale by her slumdweller father for £200,000. The father denied the story and police said that they found no evidence against him.

Slumdog was made for £15 million and went on to gross £225 million at the box office. The leading child actors are thought to have been paid about £2,000 each, but Christian Colson and Danny Boyle, the British producer and director, have denied being unfair.

Azharuddin and Rubina were found places in a school — the first they had attended — that specialises in educating disadvantaged children. If they remain in school until they are 18 they will receive a “significant lump-sum”. The families are also given a fixed monthly amount towards living expenses. The filmmakers have also pledged to buy the children houses, as has a local Mumbai politician — promises yet to be fulfilled."

This is grossly unfair. While Colson and Boyle are living large off the fame and the money that came from this movie, the people who are living it's reality are suffering.