Slum-kids Azhar, Rubina gifted flats

A few days ago, only Slumdog Millionaire was a rags-to-riches story. But now, it looks like every one who acted in the movie, especially the slum kids, are�undergoing a rags-to-riches experience.

Slum kids Azharuddin Ismail (the youngest Salim) and Rubina Ali (the youngest Latika) have been gifted flats by the Government of Maharastra. Now the two kids can leave the squalor of the slums and live in decent, comfortable flats.

Recently, the Chief Minister of Maharastra Mr. Ashok Chavan announced gifting them a flat each from the CM's quota. It seems the Mumbai unit of the Congress party had approached the Chief Minister on this matter and the CM readily announced the gifting of flats.

Azharuddin and Rubina hail from Garib Nagar�in Bandra East, Mumbai. Wallowing in abject poverty, their families did not have the means to send them to school. It was the producers of Slumdog Millionaire who established a fund for their education and put them in school. From abject poverty, their lives took a U-turn the moment they started working in Slumdog Millionaire. With awards and accolades flowing in from every corner, the kids became a rage in their neighbourhood. Recently, they had a fairytale-like trip to the US where they rubbed shoulders with the who's who of Hollywood at the Oscar night and enjoyed an exciting day at Disneyland. With the movie ruling at the 81st Academy Awards with 8 Oscars, the kids' lives have indeed changed for the better, taking them through a rags-to-riches experience.

Right from Danny Boyle to little Ayush (youngest Jamal), Slumdog Millionaire has been a breakthrough in the careers or lives of almost all those who worked on it. It has bettered the careers of actors Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, with both�grabbing roles in the projects of great Hollywood directors. It has brought a phenomenal change in A.R. Rahman's musical career, earning him the greatest�international recognition. It has touched a lesser-known sound technician like Resul Pookutty by putting him on India's Oscar map. On the whole, Slumdog Millionaire has made a 'millionaire' of every 'slumdog' who acted or worked in the movie. Kudos to Danny Boyle for all this!