The two child stars of the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire are in danger of losing a trust fund set up by the movie’s producers because they’re not regularly attending school. The parents of 10-year-old Rubina Ali and 11-year-old Azhar Mohammed Ismail blame the absences on deaths in the family and other problems. But the two are reportedly skipping class to take advantage of endorsement deals and other opportunities to cash in on their celebrity.
“Our love got a little bit tougher today,” Slumdog producer Christian Colson tells the Associated Press. “We understand there are opportunities for both kids — and for the parents of both children — to cash in, in the short term, on their celebrity. We don’t have a problem with that. But if they want to benefit from the trust, they have to get those attendance rates up.”
Colson and Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle arranged to have the kids attend a Mumbai school that helps disadvantaged children after the movie wrapped up. However Azhar is reportedly showing up at the school only 37 percent of the time; Rubina only 27 percent.
