Don't call us 'dogs': Indian 'slum dwellers' riot over Slumdog Millionaire film

Slum dwellers objecting to the word 'dog' in the film 'Slumdog Millionaire' have attacked a cinema hall.



Protesters tore down posters and ransacked a movie theatre showing the rags-to- riches tale of a Mumbai slum dweller.

Hundreds of slum dwellers shouted slogans saying the film's title was humiliating and must be changed for protests to end.

Residents of a nearby slum demonstrate outside the office of Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor, one of the main casts of the movie Slumdog Millionaire, demanding that the name of the film be changed

Tateshwar Vishwakarma, a social activist said: 'Referring to people living in slums as dogs is a violation of human rights.'



'We will burn Danny Boyle (the film's director) effigies in 56 slums here'

Police said they have deployed armed police outside cinemas in the state to thwart any further attacks in eastern Indian state Bihar.



Last week, Vishwakarma filed a case against an actor, the music director and two other people associated with 'Slumdog' in a local court.



The case will be heard in a Patna court on February 5th, police said.

Simon Beaufoy, the screenwriter, said last week: 'I just made up the word. I liked the idea. I didn't mean to offend anyone.'

The hit film has been nominated for 10 Oscars and won top prize at the Screen Actors Guild over the weekend.



Meanwhile, the parents of actors Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail have accused producers of exploiting and underpaying the child stars.

Boyle recently revealed that he has set up trust funds as well as paying for the education of the eight-year-olds.

But it has since emerged that the children, who play young couple Latika and Salim, were only paid a total of £2,100.

Ali was only given £500 while Ismail received £1,700 for their roles, which took a year to film, the Daily Telegraph has reported.



The pair currently live a few hundred yards from each other in makeshift shacks along Mumbai's railway tracks.

But their parents hoped the film deal would be a way out of living in squalor.

Ismail's father has claimed that they never received any details of the trust fund.

Mohamed Ismail told the Telegraph: 'We feel that the kids have been left behind by the fill. They have told us there is a trust fund but we know nothing about it and have no guarantees.'

Ali's father, Rafiq Ali Kureshi added: 'I am very happy the movie is doing well but it is making so much money and so much fame and the money they paid us is nothing.

'They should pay us more.'

Boyle released a statement confirming he had carried out the agreed financial arrangements for the children.

He said: '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 if their dedicated and committed teachers.

'Financial resources have been made available for their education until they are 18.'

