Younger Slumdog cast comment on their roles

Mumbai kids in Slumdog Millionaire cast -Mumbai-Cities-The Times of India

MUMBAI: "Are you shooting with the Oscars in mind?'' When young Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala asked this of Danny Boyle, all he got was a smile.
Perhaps the director was superstitious of jinxing it. Now, he would be more forthcoming.

Six delirious Mumbai children are part of the Slumdog Millionaire cast. Two of them, who live in the slums, will meet the media only when the film releases in India. The rest-Ashutosh, Tanai Chheda (who plays protagonist Jamal Malik) and Tanvi Lonkar (the heroine, Latika)-are studio hopping.

The kids were in class when the news broke. When they emerged, their world had changed. Ashutosh, 14, in the midst of his Class X prelims, found his mother waiting to take him to television studios. "Good evening, or is it good afternoon,'' he said to TOI. "I'm so disoriented I cannot even remember which paper I appeared for and which one is coming up tomorrow.''