Danny Uncle comes to Rubina, 35-lakh house doesn't

Fri, Oct 30 04:50 AM

'Danny Uncle' came to the city but Slumdog Millionaire's Rubina Ali did not get what her family wanted. The deadlock over funding for a house continued with the Jai Ho Trust giving the family a deadline to move into a flat near the locality where her co-star Azharuddin Ismail's family has been relocated.

Academy Award winner Danny Boyle on Thursday met both child actors and their families to discuss the trust's house-hunting efforts. "I like to come to India and check on the progress of the kids; sometimes it coincides with business," Boyle said.

The discussions involved a raise in the amount allocated for a house, from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 35 lakh. "It's an old issue. I want Danny Boyle and Christian Colson (the film's producer) to clear Rs 35 lakh for a flat that I've seen in Bandra West. They're not ready but I will give one more shot at it. I'm not greedy for money but it's a good home for Rubina to grow up in," said Rafiq, Rubina's father.

The trustees feel decent accommodation can be found within Rs 25 lakh at Santacruz or Vakola. "Danny, Christian and the trust have agreed that there will be no raise in the amount. We've showed Rafiq three flats in Santacruz and Vakola; he will have to take one before the end of January," said Noshir H. Dadrawala, one of the trustees.

Rafiq alleged that even Azharuddin's family is not happy with the flat in Vakola, a claim denied by the latter. "They went there as they did not have a roof over their heads," Rafiq said, but Azharuddin's mother Shameem Bano said, "It's better than what it was in the Garib Nagar slums. We're thankful to Danny Boyle."

Shameem Bano said the meeting discussed the fact that neither Azharuddin nor Rubina have been regular at school. "It's not that we don't send them to school. Azhar missed school for some days after his father's death and later he was ill. The trust should understand," she said.

Boyle added that it is difficult for young kids who suddenly shot to fame to keep things down on the ground, which is why they're stressing education for the kids.

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