How much is enough? - Part 2

Earlier, I had talked about the Oscar winning movie ‘The Slumdog Millionare’ and its famous child stars and their families demand for improved lifestyles. Well, in the same Oscar event, there was another Oscar winning Indian documentary that is less spoken off – ‘Smile Pinki’. This documentary was based on children who have cleft lips and how social workers arrange for them to receive surgery. This documentary was directed by Megan Mylan who depicts the efforts of a social worker travelling to different villages helping the children get their stand in the society. The documentary focuses on two children: 5-year old Pinki and 11-year old Ghutaru.

Unlike Slumdog Millionare, the kids featured in this documentary are provided with scholarships and their houses have a corrugated metal roof and an electric pump to supply water. The kids have become famous in a way that whenever Slumdog is spoken of (a movie from India) this documentary is voiced as well. The kids and their families are happy at the fact that they have a firm roof over their heads and have scholarships to get their education. They are not complaining or even asking for more than what they received, even though they too hold the famous Oscar.

Is it because that ‘Slumdog’ made money at the box office that the families of the children who acted in the movie wanted to make most out of it? They were given a good pay, trust funds were established for their education, living accommodations were made and they have become stars overnight. Yet they complain. Recently, one of the child star, Azhar’s family were given an apartment (Thanks to Boyle) that was $50,000 and about 250 square foot in area. I have read articles where bloggers and readers scoff at the fact that this apartment is small and overpriced and that they moved into a closet.

Sitting here in the US, people can talk about this all they want. Have they seen India? lived there? Know the real estate market there? Especially in Mumbai, to own any apartment or house or any piece of land in itself a blessing. There is a saying in Hindi “Bhandar Jhaney adhruck ka swaad”. People cannot complain about facts that they not know of. Now along with the families and relatives of the kids, outsiders are giving ‘Thanae’ now about what is being provided to them? The kids should just be paid their wages/salary for acting in the movie or documentary and left it at that, just like other actors. Do something more and you get to hear more complaints than support? It is never good enough!