Friday, October 30, 2009 MUMBAI: The slum kid stars of "Slumdog Millionaire" want a lot of things in life — new houses, a car, trips to London and Paris — but they aren't too interested in school.Ten-year-old Rubina Ali has missed nearly 75 percent of her classes and her co-star hasn't done much better — truancy that filmmakers say will jeopardize their trust funds and monthly stipends if it continues.Their parents blame the absences on deaths in the family or other misfortunes, including the demolition of Rubina's shanty by city authorities earlier this year, and have promised to do better.But the filmmakers say the children are being lured away by endorsement deals, television appearances and other opportunities to cash in on their celebrity — at the risk of losing the money set aside for them once they graduate."Our love got a little bit tougher today," "Slumdog" producer Christian Colson told sources Thursday."We understand there are opportunities for both kids — and for the parents of both children — to cash in, in the short term, on their celebrity. We don't have a problem with that. But if they want to benefit from the trust, they have to get those attendance rates up."Beneath the debate about school is a deeper tug-of-war between the impoverished families' urge for as much short-term gain as possible and the filmmakers' desire to endow the children with a secure future.
Friday, October 30, 2009 MUMBAI: The slum kid stars of "Slumdog Millionaire" want a lot of things in life — new houses, a car, trips to London and Paris — but they aren't too interested in school.Ten-year-old Rubina Ali has missed nearly 75 percent of her classes and her co-star hasn't done much better — truancy that filmmakers say will jeopardize their trust funds and monthly stipends if it continues.Their parents blame the absences on deaths in the family or other misfortunes, including the demolition of Rubina's shanty by city authorities earlier this year, and have promised to do better.But the filmmakers say the children are being lured away by endorsement deals, television appearances and other opportunities to cash in on their celebrity — at the risk of losing the money set aside for them once they graduate."Our love got a little bit tougher today," "Slumdog" producer Christian Colson told sources Thursday."We understand there are opportunities for both kids — and for the parents of both children — to cash in, in the short term, on their celebrity. We don't have a problem with that. But if they want to benefit from the trust, they have to get those attendance rates up."Beneath the debate about school is a deeper tug-of-war between the impoverished families' urge for as much short-term gain as possible and the filmmakers' desire to endow the children with a secure future.
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