Slumdog Millionaire star Rubina Ali, all of nine years old or an "Old Maid" in Saudi Arabia, was not recently "put up for sale" to the highest bidder her father, Rafiq Qureshi, has restated in a new interview.
Recently a group of newspaper reporters had sent people who claimed they were from wealthy countries such as Dubai or Qatar to see if they could purchase Rubina for as much as half a million dollars.
The fact that Qureshi did not immediately turn them down led to all kinds of speculation on the internet and in the 'zines.
"I was only trying to be polite", stated Qureshi Friday. "Where we come from in India, it is bad manners to refuse people without hearing all they have to say. After all, here were people who were offering Rubina a better life in another country."
"If anyone wishes to help, just look around. There is plenty of need here. I have accepted funds for Rubina's education and possible career, already, that were given to the family without making requests of us."
As far as Rubina is concerned, "I trust my dad", she replied.
Attention, producers and directors, there seems to be another story worth filming here. How about a guy selling his kid thinking he was helping her future? He then discovers she was purchased for entirely different reasons and his trek to bring her back home?
