Cultured Views

Millions of people are flocking to see the hit film Slumdog Millionaire - this weekend I will be one of them – and last week you would have seen the film take a glut of trophies away at the Oscars including best film.

Did you see the film’s youngest stars, ten year old Azharuddin Mohammed and Rubina Ali, all dressed up on the red carpet? they were gorgeous and that night of glamour was worlds away from the less than ideal place they call home. The slums of Mumbai.

For the past week these two children have been heralded as stars and paraded through the streets of Mumbai, you would expect that life would be nothing short of wonderful for them from now on…

Not so. Young Azharuddin has gone back to living in the ramshackle slum he shares with his parents – this is no Hollywood set believe me. This is the genuine article.

The child was savagely beaten around the head by his father yesterday when curious onlookers came to stare at the boy outside his ‘home’ – the child refused to be paraded for them by his father and so ‘Dad’ proceeded to beat the little boy around the head until complete strangers had to restrain him.

This child will probably become the family mealticket and it is so distressing to see him treated like this when just a week ago he was all smiles and glamour on the Hollywood red carpet.

I don’t care what culture these people come from, there is NO excuse for child abuse – that man is out of order and I reckon he should pick on someone his own size in future. And I hope HE gets a thump around the head for his efforts.

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2. My son the movie star!
3. Shannon Matthews ‘step-dad’ turns out to be a paedo creep
4. Twins invade Hollywood
5. Today’s Hollywood…what’s gone wrong!.