Roofless Slumdog kids express desire to keep both the houses

Mumbai, May 30: On being offered houses by Maharashtra government and the `Jai Ho` trust, the child actors of Oscar winning film `Slumdog Millionaire` have expressed their desire to keep both the houses offered to them.The Maharashtra government and Jai Ho trust had offered houses to Rubina Ali and Azharrudin Ismail after their slums were demolished by civic authorities.

"I want both the MHADA house and the ``Jai Ho`` trust house. The house given by ``Jai Ho`` trust is very nice. It is Santacruz and has bathroom, kitchen and is very big, I liked it a lot," said Azharuddin. However, the state authorities have clarified that the kids cannot keep both the houses, and they will have to choose between houses offered to them by the trust and the Maharashtra government. Though Rubina expressed some concern about the government house being away from her school, she said she would take it anyway. "I’ll take it but what they (state authorities) are giving is in very far off place. I’ll have to travel a long distance to come to my school here," said Rubina. While the kids want to keep both the houses, the parents are yet to decide as to which house to take. "Whatever we get is acceptable to us. The government is also giving us rooms that we have not refused. I had gone to talk to the authorities and asked them for some time. Now Azhar`s family and my family, we will sit together and decide what to do," said Rafiq Shaikh, Rubina`s father. ANI