The House That 'Slumdog Millionaire' Didn't Build

46. Out of sight out of mind.
It reminds me in a slight way about My Fair lady, how the Mr. Higgins made a bet with a buddy of his that he could refine a uncultured street urchin and make her into a real "lady". But in the movies she made out, but this is the real world and nobody is stepping up to the plate for these street urchins after exposing them to a world of possibilities they may never have, only in the movies.
Why can't the producers buy a middle class home in the town of El Dorado, Arkansas and a small farm for the families. If they go to the schools there they will get a free university education so higher education is affordable for them, look it up it is only for residents of El Dorado whose children have attended consistently.
Another alternative is Berea College, a free college for all citizens.
They need to get their heads out of their asses and do something.
I know they cannot do much for India but do the decent thing for the children.

Posted at 12:05AM on May 19th 2009 by KittyMitty

47. I don't even have a TV like that.

Posted at 12:29AM on May 19th 2009 by avoidz

48. I don't understand why people are so outraged. Yes, she lives in horrible conditions. Yes, she was excellent in the movie. However, I don't believe it is the Indian government that has to build her a house. In fact, the producers of the movie should. The government should try and improve conditions but they should not favor her because she has been in HOLLYWOOD. What about the others then? No government can afford to simply build houses for everyone. The country is growing. Give it time.

Posted at 12:31AM on May 19th 2009 by jb

49. what I see are finger prints all over a nice TV, that could be wiped clean, I see clutter where none needs to be, I see an old stand she is writing on that could be painted, I see no matter how some live be it a mansion or shack if no one cares it will show all the same.
I'm willing to bet they have a nice ride and before getting in one has to shovel the crap out and wipe off the windows of dog slobber to see.

Posted at 12:42AM on May 19th 2009 by Jessi

50. Priorities I tell you! There is a t.v head in every home.

Posted at 1:09AM on May 19th 2009 by Autumn

51. Whats the rest of the room look like? And why hasn't her plasma or her other electronics been stolen yet???

Posted at 2:39AM on May 19th 2009 by CHELSEA

52. The girl need better education, rather than that plasma or lcd tv...... :-)

Posted at 5:00AM on May 19th 2009 by Indianink

53. So....making a big deal out of this is a poor reflection on TMZ not the Mumbai actors. Why do you go there? The term "Slumdogs" may be better applied to TMZ.

Posted at 4:46AM on May 19th 2009 by Rob

54. What is shameful is that these children were used for the movie and then sent back to their life of dispair. Shame on the producers and directors. Still using children. There are child labor laws.

Posted at 8:56AM on May 19th 2009 by Proud American

55. #41 Savvy, you said it PERFECTLY.

Posted at 9:02AM on May 19th 2009 by LTB

56. I hope this situation exposes the plight of ALL of the kids living in the slums and they ALL get help. These few were lucky to be picked to be in the movie, but the rest of the families living like this are no less deserving of help and a decent place to live. I feel sorry for the kids in the movie though--imagine being exposed to life here, taken to all the best places and then being dumped back onto your real life. Sad.

Posted at 9:47AM on May 19th 2009 by vanillagirl

57. I know the movie "powers that be" said they had done this and that to help those kids but the tv is just something that can be stolen from them in such a place. As much as that movie made and those children were part of it more should be done to help get them out of there with their families. It seems they have done their work and been thrown back to the wolves. Shame on the film industry. They should have just used professional actors and not done this to the children. I think when they are adults they will be victims of the abuse done to them by the industry.

Posted at 10:41AM on May 19th 2009 by OriginalKat

58. 44. ...Why can't the producers buy a middle class home in the town of El Dorado, Arkansas and a small farm for the families. If they go to the schools there they will get a free university education so higher education is affordable for them, look it up it is only for residents of El Dorado whose children have attended consistently.
Another alternative is Berea College, a free college for all citizens.
They need to get their heads out of their asses and do something.
I know they cannot do much for India but do the decent thing for the children.
Posted at 12:05AM on May 19th 2009 by KittyMitty



Seriously?
SERIOUSLY??!

Remove the entire family from their Country, home, family, friends, life?
Relocate the entire family to a foreign Country?
Bring the entire family here illegally?
How will they earn a living?

They are human beings, in charge of their own lives.

Posted at 12:49PM on May 19th 2009 by *

59. Even if the movie producers bought them a brand new, full furnished house and moved them out of the slums, probably not be long before they lose everything or sell it and be back in the slums.

Posted at 1:48PM on May 19th 2009 by Lillian207

60. My guess is that the big tv was a gift and (if it is hooked up to anything... it might not be) lets them provide free entertainment for friends and family. It's not surprising that it hasn't been stolen - most poor people are not thieves, and there are probably too many people around (family and neighbors) for a thief to get away with something like that!

Actually, the movie people are paying to send both kids to a private school now, and will pay for university if they stay in school and do well enough to get into the university. They won't reveal the amount of the trust fund (the kids get it when they're 18, they might have to stay in school for it, don't know) to avoid any problems with parents and others. But my guess is that the kids will have no trouble getting out of the slums if they survive to 18...

Trying to get better living accommodations is more of a challenge than you might think - the parents are reluctant to move too far away for a variety of reasons (consider friends, family, current jobs - her father is a carpenter, as well as concerns about long-term ability to keep up housing payments) and prices for housing outside the slums are high. They have to think about long-term solutions, which includes jobs and how to pay the rent/taxes for many years to come. The boy's father is probably not very employable for health reasons (he has TB) as well as lack of skills, so health issues would need to be resolved (if possible) first, The boy's situation is much worse than the girl's - his home (not even a shack) was just bulldozed by the government (which is done periodically for such "illegal housing"). I think the girl's home was recently flooded with sewage. I've seen pictures of her home before the flooding that looked nice inside although crowded. But the area is nasty to live in because of the sewage (the constant smell of it as well as the health hazards).

At least the media obsession with the kids does focus attention on the slums problem, at least in India. But it does show that just "sending money" isn't enough. Apparently money that was previously provided to the parents vanished pretty quickly, don't know where. Whatever, it hasn't improved things for the boy especially. Besides, these are just two kids out of many in the slums - they need community-based solutions. The sanitation issue is especially important, an epidemic waiting to happen. Education is also crucial to get kids out of the slums eventually, without it (there as well as here) their options are very limited. Housing just needs to be adequate and safe - you can be happy and healthy in a shack.

Posted at 7:20PM on May 19th 2009 by jwoolman