Four hundred and thirty two acres worth of shacks make up the slum of Dharavi, Mumbai. Ten thousand small industries lie nearby, and to the one million people populating it, this is home. Despite the fact that its average income is $10 per month, (Thomas Kostigen), Dharavi is one of the “privileged” slums, according to most of its residents, simply for the reason that it has an open courtyard for dumping garbage collection. (Mark Jacobsen) This slum is composed of narrow lanes, children playing on heaps of rubbish and in the dirty water filled with toxic waste coming from the factories. That along with poor diets can cause immense health issues to everyone in the proximity of the dumps, and yet the inhabitants here smile and seem carefree. Being carefree however, is not a true part of the lifestyle for these people. In Dharavi, there is a lot of bustling and commotion; life is very busy. Young children wander through the narrow lanes, only 2 feet wide. Ravin, a teenaged boy living in Dharavi, grew up there with his family and is currently taking classes and exams, trying to escape. From Ravin’s point of view, more education means more success, and more money. The whole family has worked very hard with a lot of dedication to earn their three brick walled rooms, home to eleven people. Whether it is factory work, selling in the market, or even begging, everyone is kept active in this part of town. (Tinku)

Most slum dwellers are there because they were born into this life, and, there are many challenges that keep families there for generations. People living in slums everywhere in the world are vulnerable to illness, depression, and malnutrition. Social problems occur quite often. There is a very high unemployment rate that creates frustration and despair for many people. Cramped conditions make is hard to let out anger, which often leads to domestic violence. Child labor is another problem that slum kids face on an everyday basis. They are missing out on the very thing that could save them and let them escape from this vicious cycle; a proper education. Instead, “they make money by rag picking (trawling through rubbish dumps to retrieve anything that can be sold), selling newspapers in traffic jams, or begging.”. (Vulnerability) Finally, another large problem is “slumlords”. Some slum dwellers reach a high status in comparison to others, and become what is called “slumlords”. They form alliances with politicians and take over parts of the land in the slums. They then continue by renting out the land to those in need, and end up having a large increase of income while the rest of the residents still strive to get through another day. (Vulnerability)

Dharavi takes part in major commercial activities, making it a stop for many tourists. It is a “recycling community” that somehow, despite its people’s low income, has built itself a $650 million economy.(Thomas Kostigen) Many items are manufactured and exported all around the world from here. Dharavi might be starting to leave its slum status behind, however, child labor and exploitation are still great problems for these industries. In an embroidery factory, young boys under 18 years of age are working, yet the owner claims he does not notice does he not notice the human right violation or the fact that his workers are under 18 . Everyone is hard working; making brooms, sharpening knives, and embroidering. Despite the lack of clean water and sanitation, people like Ravin, after having experiences in other places, would like to come back to Dharavi for retirement. (Tinku)

Common life in Dharavi has taken an incredible turn for Rubina Ali and Mohammad Azharuddin Ismail, two of the child actors native to the slums of Mumbai, taken to star in the new movie “Slumdog Millionaire”.  Neither of the children had any acting experience, yet they were picked during the auditions and have now, at their young age walked the red carpet. (Tinku) Now and again, the children go about their daily lives in the slums, not at all phased by their fame. They still find joy playing near their homes and claim to be very happy and satisfied with their lives. Rubina, who played the yongest Latika, lives next to a railway track in one room shared with seven family members. An open drain flowing with toxic chemicals from a nearby factory lies right outside. Though she would like to move if an opportunity was given, she has many good friends and has fun around the slums, not caring for much else. Mohammad, who played the youngest Salim, lives in a tiny space of about 6 by 3 feet, made out of makeshift pieces of wood, plastic and cloth. The environment these children are in is cramped and has poor sanitation, but none the less, the children enjoy playing in the nearby garbage dumps and have smiles plastered on their faces. (Tinku)

Many people currently living in the slums dislike “Slumdog Millionaire”, partly because of its demeaning name. To the Indian culture, being associated with a dog is demeaning and undesirable. Another point of criticism is that the children haven’t gotten enough money for their work in the movie. Mohammad’s ill father says that their lives have not changed at all since before the movie. They had received the payment in bits and pieces, and now, it had all been spent on food and treatment for his illness. Despite the displeasure their parents have shown, there was a particular reason for this. (Tinku) Instead of having a small chance that the money will not be used for the children, but for their families, these children now have trust funds which purchased homes for their families and which will be very important to their future and can only expand their choices as they grow older and enter the real world. (Liz Thomas)