Slumdog Millionaire Makers Donate Big Bucks to Mumbai Charity

Thu., Apr. 16, 2009 6:55 AM PDT by Josh Grossberg

Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail Sheikh, Rubina Ali Rafiq Qureshi, Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar, Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwal, Tanay Hemant Chheda, Madhur Mittal, Mickey Mouse, Slumdog Millionaire cast

Courtesy: Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland

How's this for a lifeline?

The makers of the Oscar-dominating Slumdog Millionaire have donated nearly $750,000 to Plan, a Mumbai children's charity that aims to educate the destitute kids living in the metropolis' slums.

"Having benefited so much from the hospitality of the people of Mumbai it is only right that some of the success of the movie be ploughed back into the city in areas where it is needed most," director Danny Boyle said in a statement.

In the run-up to the Academy Awards, critics questioned whether filmmakers were exploiting Slumdog's young stars. For Boyle and pals, today's donation was their final answer and they're sticking to it.

Previously, the film's brain trust vowed to help the neediest of the flim's cast, and established the separate $750,000 Jai Ho trust to help house and educate 9-year-old Rubiana Ali and 10-year-old Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail—who played young Latika and young Salim, respectively.

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