'Slumdog' child star Azharuddin loses father

MUMBAI: 'Slumdog Millionaire' child star Azharuddin's father, Mohammed Ismail, died here after a long battle with tuberculosis.

Ismail was suffering from the disease for over a year, sources close to the family said here today.

He passed away on Friday in the new flat bought for the family by the 'Jai Ho' trust set up by director Danny Boyle. Ten-year-old Azhar was reportedly at school at the time and did not learn of the death until he returned home in the evening.

Ismail caused a furore when he allegedly slapped Azhar for refusing to give media interviews after his return from Los Angeles early this year.

Azhar, who played young Salim in Boyle's Mumbai potboiler, had attended the Academy awards ceremony along with rest of the cast in LA, where the film picked up eight trophies.

His family had shifted to a flat provided by the Jai Ho Trust, couple of months ago, after civic authorities demolished their huts situated in Garib Nagar slum in the Bandra area earlier this year.

The new apartment will be transferred into Azhar's name when he reaches 18 and would stay to stay on there with his mother. They share the flat with Azhar's elder brother and his wife.

OMG... that's soo shocking...

awwww. so sad.
It must be so hard....may god bless his family and give them strength!!

oh no.

thanks for the article!..poor azhar...hope he gets thru it all good!

Thats such sad news... my heart goes out to Azhar and his family. I really feel for him he's had to endure so much in his young life. I hope he can get through this difficult time.

Very sad, things were finally looking up for him and now this. I feel so bad for him and his family, my condolences

Thats so Sad :((
May his soul Rest in Peace

Poor boy - I hope he doesn't get fleeced by greedy relatives 😭
Wasnt he living with his dad and step mother? His mother having remarried. I hope he has someone who cares about him and his intrests. God bless him.