Stardom brings with it responsibility

The victory of "Slumdog Millionaire" at the Academy Awards last Sunday shows how, once again, a story about Eastern misery, otherwise forgotten or ignored, can come to the attention of a Western audience. Never has the plight of the slum-dwellers of Mumbai been so alarming and brought so close to people outside of India until now, thanks to a realistic portrait of the city by British filmmaker Danny Boyle, whose film won eight Oscars.

With public awareness of India now raised to new heights, local TV crews are jostling for stories in the slums, which now host the unfamiliar sights of camera tripods and satellite trucks. Mumbai's slums, which house a third of the city's population, are seen in the film spilling onto the airport runway, with some shacks partitioned by no more than a plastic sheet, a piece of broken plywood or a worn curtain.

It seems that when issues of humanitarian significance in this part of the world, or Asia in general, reach Western shores, they command instant attention from sections of the media there, and people are ready to make a fuss over it all. In his film, Danny Boyle portrays how slum gangs blind children so they can be more effective beggars, how a crime boss controls a harem of young girls. The fact that the plight of the slum-dwellers has come to viewers' attention has everything to do with the film winning eight Oscars. As a result, it has raised a degree of pubic awareness of the harsh realities in slums and shantytowns. As a result of the film's popularity, Mumbai's slums will likely see an outpouring of generosity.

It's puzzling why controversial political, economic and social issues that exist in developing economies, whether in Asia or elsewhere, receive serious attention from more and more Western filmmakers, actors and musicians, rather than from Asian celebrities. It's true that Western stars lend their power to social causes. Meanwhile top celebrities in Asia are accused of standing by the wayside when it comes to contributing to philanthropic endeavours.

In his post-Oscar schedule, Boyle spent time entertaining the young stars of "Slumdog" with games and a trip to Disney World. On a more serious note, the British director has promised a better future for his young stars via a number of charitable activities.

Boyle says he has an ambitious plan to pump "significant" profits from the film back into the Mumbai slums where the film is set. He and the film's investors and distributors are also setting up a fund for the slum and the street children of Mumbai. So far US$500,000 (Bt17.9 million) has been set aside as an initial figure, but this is expected to rise.

Boyle and producer Christian Colson told the Daily Mail yesterday that Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Rubina Ali and their families would be moved to new apartments in the coming months. Meanwhile, officials from the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority - a Mumbai housing association - have now said they want to give the children a new flat each. The film has grossed $70 million worldwide.

The film company has also agreed to pay for a rickshaw driver to take the children to and from school every day for the next eight years - to ensure they attend. The producers will work with an NGO to find a suitable social worker to liaise with the families to ensure the children's well-being over the next few years.

While Boyle's philanthropy reflects a fair degree of social responsibility, there are similar miseries elsewhere. And more celebrities from Tinsel Town are taking it upon themselves to tend to social causes. It's uncertain whether they do it for altruistic reasons or for their own publicity and image. However, their efforts should be emulated by other celebrities everywhere as standard practice. Indeed public image, clout and popularity should be put to better use in raising public awareness on important issues that affect the masses.

So far it appears that Western celebrities outnumber their Asian counterparts when it comes to dealing with issues in Asia, a region in which teens are mad about pretty Korean and Japanese superstars. These stars are making a fortune out of entertaining youngsters across the region.

Arriving in Thailand recently by private jet, Angelina Jolie spent time with her partner Brad Pitt visiting Karen refugee camps in Mae Hong Son. She suggested that the Thai government should respect the human rights of Rohingya migrants.

Members of Asia's showbiz are taking themselves and their fans more seriously than the world around them. Bangkok, for instance, hosts a number of foreign concerts every month. In most cases, they come, perform, collect their fee and leave.

Asian filmmakers may not fail in capturing the scourges in their society. But their work cannot achieve their objectives because, on occasion, they are banned by the authorities. Take, for example, a Japanese film called "Children of the Dark", directed by Junji Sakamoto. The film follows a reporter trying to uncover the story of an ailing Japanese child who is to have heart transplant surgery in Bangkok. What shocks him is the news that the donated heart comes from a live Thai child prostitute. The film was to be screened at the 2008 Bangkok International Film Festival but was dropped because it was deemed inappropriate.

We need more campaigners to remind us of the harsh realities out there.