Post-Oscars, Rubina's biological mother surfaces

On her return from the US, it was not only the red carpet welcome that awaited Slumdog Millionaire child artist Rubina Ali.

Success in the international arena has also brought forth unexpected consequences, with both her biological mother Khushi and her step-mother Munni, with whom she lives in suburban Bandra slums, asserting their 'right' over her.

Both want to claim Rubina, basking in international fame after the golden Oscar run of Slumdog Millionaire, as their own.

Rubina, who plays the child Latika, lives with her father Rafiq Qureshi and Munni. Following the success of the Danny Boyle film, Khushi has returned to Garib Nagar slums, where she lives with her carpenter father.

According to Rafiq, Khushi left him and their three children - Rubina is the youngest - five years ago to marry 'some rich person' and never returned.

However, Khushi says she had left the children with their grandmother.

Rubina's life changed when talent hunter Parvez Ahmed picked up a bunch of kids from the slums and put them on sets of Slumdog Millionaire.

Rubina has never attended school. The filmmakers paid the children for 30 days of acting work, their families a small monthly stipend and set up a trust through which the children will get money after their graduation.