This story is from July 16, 2009

Nicole is strange: Slumgirl Rubina

TNN / Jul 16, 2009, 12:18 IST

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Only nine years old, Slumdog Millionaire star Rubina Ali has become the youngest person to have her autobiography published.

Only nine years old, Slumdog Millionaire star Rubina Ali has become the youngest person to have her autobiography published.
The book Slumgirl Dreaming: Journey to the Stars gives an insight into her rise from the slums of Mumbai to Hollywood fame and back again, reports a UK tabloid.
She also gives her opinion on 'strange' Nicole Kidman, who she starred alongside in a soft drinks advertisement.
In her new book, the child star gives an insight from her rise from the slums of Mumbai to Hollywood and Oscar fame and back again.

The 192 page book, written by Divya Dugar, who tracked Rubina for six months, devotes only 24 pages feature her pre-Slumdog life.
The child star, who starred with Nicole Kidman, in a soft drinks advertisement, said she didn��t get to know her well despite sharing a trailer together.
She said: ��I really liked her, but she was very quiet and didn't speak much. I think she was a bit shy.��
She described the Hollywood actress as 'strange' since she stayed put in her trailer during the length of the shoot, too scared of the damage the sun could do to her alabaster complexion.
Discovered by Danny Boyle, director of the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire, Rubina reportedly made more for three days work on a French Schweppes advert, where she played a small child enchanted with Nicole's Indian princess character, than on the entire film.
In the book, Rubina admitted that while the success of the film hasn't changed her life in the slums much, she now has higher hygiene standards and will walk a long distance to find a pay-for toilet rather than use the railway tracks.
The tabloid quoted author Divya as saying: ��She knows a lot more about the world beyond the slum. She has seen what life is like for the rich. She has seen the other side of the picture and knows now that life can be better.��
She added, ��She has a blind faith in her family, she thinks they couldn't have done anything to harm her.��
Rubina, who now lived at an uncle's house after her home was demolished, doesn't know where her Slumdog salary went. She said: ��I'm not sure I got all of it, or where it has all gone.��

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