This is a convoluted story, and most likely only parts of it are true. This weekend, the British newspaper News of the World reported that the father of one of the child-actors in Slumdog Millionaire tried to sell his daughter for more than $400,000. That report is now being denied by the father, Rafiq Ali, through a family friend: “This isn’t true - he will happily discuss job offers but there is no question of letting his daughter go. He loves her and is proud of her. He’s a good man and is deeply offended that anyone would accuse him of selling his daughter.”

Rubina Ali, the little girl who played the young Latika in Slumdog Millionaire, is one of the actors who will receive money from a trust set up by Danny Boyle and the film’s producers. Rubina’s father, Rafiq, claims that he has only been trying to negotiate more acting roles for his daughter, not trying to sell her. According to News of the World, Rafiq (or Rubina’s uncle, it’s unclear) was trying to sell Rubina to “a wealthy Middle Eastern family for adoption. When the deal fell through, the paper contacted the girl’s family under the pretence of adopting her.” That is when the uncle “confirmed” that the girl was for sale. The Daily Mail has more on the story:

The father of the child star who won hearts across the world for her role in Slumdog Millionaire denies he offered her up for adoption for £270,000.

Rubina Ali, who played the young Latika in the Oscar-winning film, was reportedly put up for adoption by father Rafiq Qureshi - for a hefty asking price. But he now denies he was trying to ’sell’ Rubina, 9, to undercover newspaper reporters.

Rafiq claims he believed he was discussing a ‘well-paying’ film role and would never put his children up for sale.

‘Rubina’s father was contacted through a friend, who was told there was a lot of money on offer if she would work for him,’ said a close family friend.

‘Rafiq didn’t understand everything that was being said to him but he was happy to discuss money for a well-paying job for his daughter. She loves being in movies and the family need the money,’ he added.

An undercover investigation by the News of the World reportedly discovered that Rafiq was offering Rubina to a wealthy Middle Eastern family for adoption. When the deal fell through, the paper contacted the girl’s family under the pretence of adopting her.

Rubina’s uncle is believed to have confirmed the family were interested in ’selling’ the young star for millions of rupees.

‘Yes, we are interested in securing our girl’s future… Obviously if you wanted to adopt we could discuss this, but her parents would also expect some proper compensation in return,’ the paper quoted the uncle as saying.

But Rubina’s father now denies the allegations. ‘This isn’t true - he will happily discuss job offers but there is no question of letting his daughter go. He loves her and is proud of her. He’s a good man and is deeply offended that anyone would accuse him of selling his daughter,’ said the family friend.

Rafiq was said to be angry that despite the Oscar success of the film, his family were still living in poverty in the slums of Mumbai.

Slumdog director Danny Boyle and producer Christian Colson have set up a fund for Rubina and her young co-star Azharuddin Ismail to give them a proper education, decent housing and support to cope with their fame. The child stars have also each been given a luxury apartment in Kerala, south India, by the sound engineer who worked on the film. But Rubina’s father claims the family have seen nothing of the promised rewards.

‘We haven’t got anything yet, it’s all supposed to come later,’ he told the undercover reporters. The family then reportedly offered Rubina for the price of 20million rupees - around £270,000.

From The Daily Mail

Not to be rude, but did anyone at News of the World or The Daily Mail consider that parts of these conversations/negotiations were lost in translation? That Rafiq Ali or this child-selling uncle simply didn’t understand the specifics of what was being discussed? The News of the World is the bottom of the barrel of tabloid journalism, so that alone makes me believe that Rafiq Ali had no desire or inclination to sell his daughter, and that he thought work and salaries were being discussed.

The trust fund is hopefully completed, and the Indian families will be moving into their new homes soon. I hope the young actors do get a chance to act and work again in film, and I pray they get great educational opportunities.

Rubina Ali is shown with her father (header) at her uncle’s house in Mumbai on 2/26/09. Credit: BARM/Fame Pictures