Better housing planned for 'Slumdog' kids

Mumbai -- Indian housing officials say they are helping two of the child stars from the Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire" secure better places to live.

Rubina Ali, 9, and Azharuddin Ismail, 10, played young versions of characters Latika and Salim in the movie. The child actors were discovered by casting agents in Mumbai's Garib Nagar slum and were still living there after the movie became an international sensation. Rubina reportedly has been residing in a one-room shack with her family, while Azharuddin has been living under a tarp with his father, who has tuberculosis.

The children traveled to Los Angeles last week, attended the Oscars ceremony Sunday night and reportedly went to Disneyland the next day.

Local housing association chairman Amarjeet Singh Manhas told the BBC: "Since the children have made the nation proud, they must be given free houses. The chief minister of the state has approved this."

Rubina's father Rafiq Qureshi told The Times of India: "Our house was demolished a couple of times by the authorities, the last time being three months ago. We are happy that we will have a permanent roof over our head.''

The BBC said the filmmakers also promised to provide better housing for the two families before Indian authorities made their offer.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.