As his latest release Chippa drops online, Lion discovery Sunny Pawar discusses juggling thriving film career and studies
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 12, 2020)

The most striking memory we have of Sunny Pawar is his endearing recreation of the Lion King scene at the 2017 Academy Awards with host Jimmy Kimmel. The child actor, now 11, is grabbing eyeballs again with his performance in Chippa, which dropped on Netflix.

"The best part about Lion [2016] and Chippa was that I could travel to the international film festivals and meet renowned celebrities. Shooting for Chippa in Kolkata was a novel experience, even though it was my second time in the city. It is pulsating with tradition and rich culture," marvels Pawar, who gorged on Kolkata's famous street food.

Pawar's life has witnessed a turnaround post the Oscar-nominated film. With his father who doubles up as his manager, he sifts through the offers carefully, and has so far been part of Sacred Games, the Marathi film Aa Bb Kk and the short film, To Remember Me By. Even though he considers himself "blessed" to have got such exposure at an early age, juggling films and school is not easy. "Most shoots were scheduled during my vacations. On the rare occasion that I would be required to shoot during the semester, the director used to provide a letter to the school for permission. My friends used to send the notes over WhatsApp. When I would resume school, I used to work doubly hard to catch up on my studies."

Four years since Lion, he rues that he has lost touch with co-stars Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman. "Dev and Nicole were nice to me during every interaction. After Lion, I haven't been able to connect with them regularly. I look forward to working with them again in the near future."

Former child star Rubina Ali on life after leaving Mumbai streets ten years ago to attend the Oscars when the film went on to win eight awards
Daily Mirror (BOMBAY TIMES; February 20, 2019)

On Oscars night next weekend, all eyes will be on Olivia Colman, the 45-year-old British actress being tipped for Best Actress glory for her role as Queen Anne in The Favourite. It will be a remarkable night for Colman, but nothing compared to Rubina Ali’s experience on the Hollywood red carpet ten years ago.

Slumdog Millionaire star Rubina was ten, when she left India and her tiny shack of a home in the Mumbai slums, to go to the 81st Academy Awards in Hollywood, where all eyes were on her as Danny Boyle’s film won eight Oscars.

A decade on, instead of rubbing shoulders with the stars in LA next Sunday, Rubina, 20, will be watching it on TV in her one-bedroom flat in Bandra West, just across the railway line from the Bandra East slum where she was born.

Rubina says, “The Oscars was just unforgettable. It was one of the most amazing days. But sometimes it feels like a dream — I was so young. I was very happy to meet all the Hollywood stars and to experience the red carpet. I never imagined that would happen in my life.”

Wide-eyed Rubina played the young Latika, who falls in love with Jamal, played by Dev Patel. Recalling her trip to LA, Rubina, now a student and part-time office worker, says, “I remember I didn’t like the US food. Dev Patel used to feed me with his hand — pizza and burgers — but I like Indian spicy food, I didn’t like the continental food.”

‘SLUMDOG STOLE MY CHILDHOOD’

Rubina was living in a tiny brick-and-corrugated-iron hut in the slums with dad Rafiq, stepmum Munni, two brothers and two sisters, when a friend heard that US film producers were looking for slum children for a Hollywood film.

Rubina, whose biological mother, Khushi, had walked out of the family home when she was four, was paid an upfront fee equivalent to around £624 now, a huge figure compared to her father’s £110-a-month wage as a carpenter.

Danny Boyle later formed the Jai Ho Trust to help Rubina and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail — the only other slum kid in the film — and pay for a good education and a flat for each of them.

She says, “Uncle Danny has been wonderful. He has supported me so much. He paid for my education and came to visit me every year. I’d go to visit him at his hotel and he’d ask me about my life. He has helped me a lot. He is very kind and loving to us. I love him too.”

The two children went to an English school in plush Bandra West, and when they turned 18, they received an undisclosed sum from the trust plus the deeds to their flats.

Speaking to the team as she revisits the slums where she once lived and where the movie was filmed, Rubina says, “I grew up much quicker because of Slumdog, though. The film stole my childhood. My mother and father didn’t know much, they’re not educated so they had no idea how to handle the fame and attention. It was too much for them.”

She says the film also brought her ‘fake friends’ as she found herself to be a target for opportunists, who tried to take advantage of her success. She and her family were offered free food and clothes, but when the interest in the film started to subside, so did the offers. Rubina says, “Everyone wanted to be my friend after the film. People would buy me gifts and clothes and feed me, but then they disappeared. Before Slumdog there was no one, then there were so many people and then, there was no one again. They wanted to be famous because I was famous.”

‘SOME PEOPLE STILL RECOGNISE ME, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS THEY USED TO’

Rubina’s 15-minutes of fame took a toll on her already-strained family. There were stories of her mum fighting with her stepmum, she fell out with her father and even moved in with her aunt and uncle for a while. Rubina says she saw a lot of ‘deceit’, but refuses to elaborate. Her brush with Hollywood fame has left her guarded, struggling to trust people.

She says, “Now I live a simple life. I don’t have many friends and I don’t drink alcohol. I saw a lot of fake people soon after Slumdog, so I am very wary of people. I don’t like being with a lot of people, I’m not very trusting. I’m alone quite a lot and I quite like that. I don’t want people to use me and harm me.

“Some people still recognise me, but not as much as they used to. Soon after the film, everyone used to call my name and sing Jai Ho at me, but not as much these days.”

It’s a sad statement for a young woman of 20. But Rubina has been on a rollercoaster few could imagine.

Her first home in the slums was destroyed to make way for a railway line the year the film came out and her second home was burned to the ground in 2011, the fire destroying all her Oscar memorabilia and the baby blue dress she wore on awards night.

She moved into the flat at the age of 13, where she now lives. Many of her family still live in the slums, and as she shows us the area where she once lived, she admits that, despite the atrocious conditions, she misses the community spirit she once shared.

Rubina says, “I often go back to the slum to see my uncle and family. It looks different now, so I don’t feel emotional when I go there, but it was once my home. I miss how it was, the home I had. I loved my neighbours and close family nearby. We were a close community —everyone was so nice, but it’s gone now.”

Of course, the film has given her plenty of opportunities, too. She now studies art and literature at Mumbai University and works parttime in an office.

‘I LIKE BOTH HOLLYWOOD AND BOLLYWOOD, BUT I DON’T WANT TO LIVE OVERSEAS’

Rubina, who was a runner on the 2013 movie Belle, still wants to be an actor and insists that, overall, the Slumdog experience was wonderful. She says, “It’s my dream to be an actor and I want to make it come true. I know my family is very proud of me.”

She says, “I like both Hollywood and Bollywood, but I don’t want to live overseas. I want to stay in Mumbai, so I guess Bollywood will be my future. If I become a successful actress as an adult, I now know to be careful with people. I’m prepared for the fame now. Once you get attention, people appear out of nowhere.”

She wants to share the same advice with other young stars, like Sunny Pawar, who was 11 when he went to the Oscars after starring with her old friend Dev Patel in Lion (2016). Rubina says, “I’d tell Sunny to make sure his family have guidance to make the right decisions and make the most of the opportunities. All the fame, that world, it’s very different from our normal lives.”

Rubina had a lot of that support from Danny, a lifeline she will always be grateful for. But while she still looks forward to his visits, she admits she hasn’t seen Slumdog in a while. Speaking of the film that changed her life, Rubina says, “I don’t watch it, it’s embarrassing. I play the role of a beggar, so it’s quite embarrassing to watch. I laugh when I see myself.”

Unhappy with SWA decision, director of Marathi film Aarti now sues Team October, Amazon Prime for plagiarism
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 16, 2018)

In April, filmmaker Sarika Mene claimed that Shoojit Sircar's October was plagiarised from her Marathi drama, Aarti — The Unknown Love Story. In the latest development, as the Varun Dhawan-starrer released on Amazon Prime, Mene sent a legal notice to the makers and the streaming giant. Based on her brother Sunny Pawar's real-life story, Aarti traces his journey as he stood by his girlfriend Aarti Makwana, who was paralysed in a car accident, till her last breath.

Mene says, "We have to procure the rights to Sunny's life story, so that no one else does this to us again. We don't want money; we only want acknowledgement that this movie is based on his life."

She had approached the Screenwriters' Association (SWA) two months ago, which had ruled against her, albeit adding that the source material for both the films may have been the real-life incident of Pawar. We texted Sircar, who responded with a simple, "No comments."

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 20, 2018)

As Varun Dhawan and Shoojit Sircar’s recent release October found itself being celebrated, independent filmmaker Hemal Trivedi, in a Facebook post, claimed that the drama was plagiarised from the 2017 Marathi film, Aarti — The Unknown Love Story, which is directed by Sarika Mene. His post read, “The filmmakers of October never acquired any rights to the Marathi film and they never contacted Sarika.”

When mid-day contacted Mene, she claimed there were glaring similarities between the two stories. “I want the audience to watch both films and be impartial in their opinion. When I watched October, [I realised that] the emotions and characters portrayed are similar. Only a few things don’t match.” Based on her brother Sunny Pawar’s real-life story, Aarti traces his journey as he stood by his girlfriend Aarti Makwana, who was paralysed in a car accident, till her last breath.

Mene has approached the Screenwriters Association for help, who have lined up screenings of both films. “How can a writer have imagined the exact events that had occurred in my brother’s private life? I want to know where he [Sircar] got his film’s idea from — sometimes he says it’s inspired from his life, sometimes he says a newspaper article [was the starting point]."

A source from October's production unit said, “The movie comes from a personal space for Shoojit whose mother was in a comatose state in 2004 and he had taken care of her.”

Sircar confirmed that he had received a letter from the Screenwriters Association, notifying him of the complaint. He said, “We’ll respond to it officially, post which we’ll issue our official statement.”

Soumya Vajpayee Tiwari (MID-DAY; September 30, 2017)

Sunny Pawar had no dearth of fans, be it at the Oscars this year where host Jimmy Kimmel recreated a scene from The Lion King with him, or back home. The eight-year-old star, who won everyone’s hearts with his act in Lion (2016), has bagged another project. Pawar will star in a two-hour-long film, which has been initiated by the Anti-Corruption and Crime Control Committee. Titled ABC, the film is inspired by the government’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign.

Baahubali star Tamannaah Bhatia will also be seen in the drama, directed by Ramkumar Shendge. The movie will revolve around the importance of education for the girl child.

About associating with the film, Bhatia says, “The power vested in being a media figure should be used to inspire others. I am proud to be associated with this cause.”

A source close to the project reveals, “Kiran Bedi and actors Amitabh Bachchan, Chiranjeevi and Suniel Shetty will have special appearances in the film. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ wife, Amruta Fadnavis, will contribute to the film’s musical score. The voice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be used in the movie.”

The source adds that after premiering at Cannes Film Festival next year, the film will be made a compulsory watch in all schools across India. “It will be dubbed in 14 languages.”

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 25, 2017)

Three weeks after Kanchi Karve was buzzing with people queuing up to meet Sunny Pawar, life is back to normal for the family, after their brief encounter with fame. Neighbours say the Pawars regularly meet people who come enquiring about the eight-year-old, who attended the Oscar awards last month as part of the cast of Garth Davis’ film, Lion. At the glittering evening, Sunny was the cynosure of all eyes as host Jimmy Kimmel recreated the Lion King birth scene by lifting him in the air.

The newfound stardom, we notice, hasn’t quite changed this young boy’s demeanour since we last met him in January. “I am back to the routine. Teachers and friends are proud of me. I have to catch up on studies as well, so I have to work twice as hard,” he says, adding that he is currently prepping for his annual exams next month.

Despite the uninterrupted adulation, a Bollywood outing would have brought more fame, he argues. “My social circle isn’t well-acquainted with Hollywood. Most of them haven’t watched the film [Lion] yet. More people would have known me here had I done a Bollywood film.”

Even as Sunny seems oblivious to his achievements, the family continues to find itself entertaining guests who arrive at their doorstep every other day. A well-meaning aunt says they are selective while deciding who he interacts with. “It [meeting everybody] could be too much for the child to handle,” she reasons. Mother Vasu does her best to keep stardom from affecting her child. “He is a simple kid. That’s his biggest quality,” she says, as she puts together a meal of dal, rice and curd. “I take pride in being strict with him when needed. I don’t want him to become snooty.”

At Hollywood’s coveted awards night, Sunny excitedly posed alongside Dwayne Johnson and Jackie Chan, among others. But back home, little has changed. “I play cricket and watch TV with my siblings. At school, I play and study. But when journalists visit me, they pamper me a lot."

Enjoying his first taste of global fame, Sunny Pawar returns from the Oscars to his Kalina home, recalls hug from “tall uncle” Samuel Jackson and dream meeting with The Rock
Mohar Basu and Rupsa Chakraborty (MID-DAY; March 2, 2017)

Kunchi Kurve Nagar, a slum in Kalina, hadn’t seen this kind of media attention. Their most famous resident, Sunny Pawar, returned this morning from Los Angeles after being at the centre of much attention at the 89th Academy Awards. Garth Davis’ Lion, a film about an Indian boy adopted by Australian parents, saw stellar performances by the eight-year-old apart from Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel.

His neighbourhood was buzzing with journalists, keen to catch Sunny’s eye. Workers of a political outfit that his father, Dilip, is affiliated to, waited to give him a hero’s welcome. His neck strung with garlands, mouth stuffed with sweets, Sunny was lifted into the air to cheers, much the same way Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel had done, making the iconic moment a favourite with international paparazzi.



His mother, Vasu, who in an exclusive interview to mid-day had expressed concern that her little boy was homesick, was overwhelmed to see him after long. “It feels wonderful. I am glad to be back with my mother. I can finally go to school and play with my siblings,” Sunny said.

About the Oscar moment, he said he felt like a star when Kimmel lifted him. “I didn't understand much of what he [Kimmel] was saying, but everyone’s reaction gave me confidence. I saw my father looking happy and Dev bhaiya [Dev Patel] was smiling. I knew this was huge,” he added, suddenly asking, “How many people across the world saw me, you think?”



It’s not just the awards night that made Sunny’s time in the US special. He met dignitaries like Barack Obama, movie superstars, including Jackie Chan, and “a tall uncle” [presumably Samuel Jackson], who gave him a hug and said he will go far. But his favourite moment was when he met his idol, WWF star The Rock. “Meeting Rock [Dwayne Johnson] was a dream come true. I watched a live wrestling match too,” he said.

Vasu thinks her son is fortunate to have met international names despite his humble roots. “He would always imitate Bollywood actors and participate in school plays, but we didn’t think he would go this far,” she said. His father and Pranav Sahni, production manager at Take One Productions, helped Sunny with translations on tour. That he was always given Indian food made him feel at home. “I would eat rice, dal, dosa and sambhar, but it reminded me of my mother’s cooking,” Sunny recalled.

His grandfather Bhima Pawar, 64, says his chawl has become famous because of Sunny. “We have strangers coming to ask us about his whereabouts. Though Lion is an English movie, everyone from the neighbourhood has gone and watched it for Sunny,” he said.

Celebdom has its perks, even for those surrounding the star. Aena Pawar, Sunny’s cousin, told mid-day that friends who would once bully her have suddenly grown kind after realising that Sunny has made it to Hollywood.


Sunny Pawar with Triple H


Sunny Pawar with Jackie Chan


Sunny Pawar with Dev Patel


Sunny Pawar with idol, WWF star The Rock

Dev Patel, Sunny Pawar, Priyanka Bose and Nicole Kidman at Lion’s premiere; (inset) Tannishtha Chaterjee, who also stars in the film

Lion, with a full-on desi cast, picks up four Golden Globe nominations ahead of the Oscars; actors ecstatic
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 14, 2016)

On Monday, the list of contenders for the 74th Golden Globe Awards was announced. The big surprise for Indians was the Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman-starrer, Lion, with a prominent line-up of Bollywood actors, bagging four nominations in top categories — Best Film, Best Score, Best Supporting Actor (Dev) and Best Supporting Actress (Nicole). Based on the memoir, A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley, the film is directed by Garth Davis and traces the story of a five-year-old boy, Saroo, who gets lost on a train. He survives alone in Kolkata, before being adopted by an Australian couple. He sets out to find his lost family 25 years later.

Dev, who plays the older Saroo, said, “I am humbled to be acknowledged in a category alongside these incredible gentlemen. I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my real family back in London and in India, and for my ‘Lion’ family. My mom is going to be really happy.”

Many have attributed the film’s innocence to child-actor Sunny Pawar, who plays younger Saroo. Speaking from the US, he said, “I am elated that this was my first film and it got nominated.” Priyanka Bose, who plays Saroo’s mother, said, “It is truly deserved. Dev has delivered a stirring performance and proves how much he’s grown since Slumdog Millionaire (2008).”

Ask her if the vibe around the film is similar to that of the Oscar winner, and she adds, “Slumdog… and Lion take unique trajectories. But, I remember the excitement around it back then. We are all global actors and diversity is of utmost importance, more now than ever before. I feel fiercely patriotic.”

Tannishtha Chatterjee was surprised when we informed her about the nominations. “Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the film yet. The makers had invited me to the screening at the Toronto and London Film Festivals, but I couldn’t go. At the risk of sounding ambitious, the film may be nominated in the same categories at the Oscars too. When I read the script, I knew we were making something special. Garth is able to extract fine performances from his actors. I hope we bag all awards.”

Deepti Naval, who features as an orphanage caretaker, says, “It has created a buzz in the festival and awards circuit. The film leaves you choked.”

MUMBAI MIRROR (November 10, 2016)