'Slumdog Millionaire' child actor beaten by father

Slumdog Millionaire child star Azharuddin had a rather painful homecoming after attending the Oscars, for the boy was beaten up by his father just because he wanted to have some rest.

Mohammed Ismail slapped and kicked his 10-year-old son in front of shocked neighbours and passers-by soon after he flew back to India from Los Angeles, where he and his other young co-stars watched as their movie picked up eight Oscars.

Azharuddin, who plays young hero Jamal, got tears in the eyes and ran back inside his home, cowering and begging his father to stop while trying to hide in a corner.

The young star had been given the day off school after his long flight and wanted to take rest, but his father wanted to show him off outside their home.

And when the boy didn't agree, the 45-year-old father, who is hoping his son could be his ticket to get out of Mumbai's Dharavi slum, launched his attack while his mother pleaded Ismail to stop.

"Azharuddin's father was upset that he was asking to be left alone because he was so tired. He didn't attend school today so that he could recover from his long flight from LA and simply wanted all the attention to stop. However, when Azharuddin put his foot down and said that was it and there was to be no more talking, Ismail just flipped," the Sun quoted one stunned onlooker as saying.

However, Azharuddin's return to the slums was another picture altogether when his father had lifted him up and paraded him like a trophy.

Just a few hours after the attack, TB patient Ismail apologised for the attack, saying: "I was very sorry I did what I did. I was confused and stressed by my son's homecoming and I did not know myself for a minute. I love my boy and I am very happy to have him home."

Correction: Picture has been changed