I finally watched Slumdog Millionaire last weekend. At first I couldn’t see what everyone was talking about with it being such a good movie. Yes, the poverty was disturbing but it was not news to me. However after watching the whole movie I did like it and I do think it deserved the Oscar.
I remember seeing the kids who were in the movie at the Oscar ceremony and then hearing about how they went to Disneyland the next day. I knew that the kids were actually from the “slums” of India and lived in deep poverty but I was curious what had come of them now? Had they been paid well for their work in the movie? Were they able to at least afford to buy a house for their families to live in?
Today I was shocked and disturbed to read this article that talks about the little boy who played Salim in the movie being homeless after his families shack was torn down. In the article his mother said that the government promised housing for them because of their part in this very famous movie. She says that still hasn’t happened and she asks “My son has brought glory to this country, shouldn’t he get some credit?”
My question is…What about the production company that made the movie?! Aren’t they giving the boy some credit? Was he not paid for his work? I realize that the film did not have a very large budget to start with but surely they have made a ton of money off this movie. Do they have no conscious? Didn’t they think about the hypocrisy when they chose to cast these victims of poverty children in the first place. The article says some people in the media have referred to this movie as “poverty porn”. In that case these children are being exploited, and what does that say for a movie speaking out against victimized children?
I realize that we do not live in a fairy tale world and that the movie was merely reflecting for us the situation in India. Of course even if these two children are rescued from this life what about the thousands of other children living this way in countries across the world?  On the other hand two children are two children.

To help children in poverty click here…Children International
To read about the situation in the Guatemala City Garbage Dump and how you can help click here…Safe Passage.