The 'Slumdog Millionaire' Backlash has Begun

Posted by Michael Dance

If there was ever any doubt that Slumdog Millionaire was the Oscar frontrunner, you can lay that to rest now: the Slumdog smears have officially begun.

It started with an article in Britain's Daily Telegraph that quoted the parents of the two kids in the film who play the 8-year-old versions of Salim and Latika (Azharuddin Ismail and Rubiana Ali), saying that they were underpaid for the film and still living in poverty.

Since the two kids had both just won the Screen Actors Guild for Best Ensemble, the story turned a lot of heads in Hollywood and the rumor mill went into overdrive. Director Danny Boyle and producer Christian Colson were forced to release the following statement clarifying exactly what the production had done for the kids:

From the moment that we hired them and long before the press became interested in this story, we have paid painstaking and considered attention to how Azhar and Rubina’s involvement in the film could be of lasting benefit to them over and above the payment they received for their work.
The children had never attended school, and in consultation with their parents we agreed that this would be our priority. Since June 2008 and at our expense, both kids have been attending school and they are flourishing under the tutelage of their dedicated and committed teachers. Financial resources have been made available for their education until they are 18. We were delighted to see them progressing well when we visited their school and met with their teachers last week.

In addition to their educational requirements, a fund is in place to meet their basic living costs, health care and any other emergencies. Furthermore, as an incentive for them to continue to attend school a substantial lump sum will be released to each child when they complete their studies. Taking into account all of the children’s circumstances we believe that this is the right course of action.

Since putting in place these arrangements more than 12 months ago we have never sought to publicize them, and we are doing so now only in response to the questions raised recently in the press. We trust that the matter can now be put to bed, and we would request that the media respect the children’s privacy at this formative time in their lives.

If that's not enough, Variety reports that the film's production companies have also been busy pulling damage control:

[Fox] Searchlight and Pathe, along with Fox Star Studios in India, said they are looking into additional measures to protect the two kids in light of the press exposure. "We are extremely proud of this film, and proud of the way our child actors have been treated," the statement said.

The matter should be put to rest, but backlash aimed at the film will no doubt continue up through the Oscars. Many reports were quick to say that the film's opening in India last week was met with organized protests claiming it exploited the lower class -- but it also became the fourth-biggest India opening ever for a non-Indian movie.

Will any of this hurt Slumdog Millionaire's Oscar chances?

No.

A massive smear campaign targeted at A Beautiful Mind didn't stop it from winning the Oscar in 2001 -- despite being in a tight race with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Slumdog Millionaire, meanwhile, is the out-and-out frontrunner, and it's probably too late for any film to catch up with it.

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The 'Slumdog Millionaire' Backlash has Begun

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