Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor has donated all his wages from the Oscar-winning ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ to supporting poverty-stricken children in India.

The 49-year-old actor says his own shabby childhood pushed him into making the gesture. The money was given to children’s charity Plan India, which works for underprivileged minors.

Anil Kapoor told Danny Boyle, the director of the Oscar-winning movie, that he can identify with the lead character, Jamal Malik. “I started from a very simple background. Not slums exactly, but a 200-square-metre cubicle with common bathrooms – and I never wore shoes,” the actor says.

Anil Kapoor (AFP Image)

“Everyone – [director] Danny [Boyle], [producer] Christian [Colson], [writer] Simon [Beaufoy], [cinematographer] Anthony [Mantle] – they didn't have commerce in mind, they just wanted it to be a good film. We wanted as many people to see the film as possible,” Kapoor says.

Slumdog Millionaire’s success has also opened a new era in international co-operation with India over film-making. The movie’s resonance is being felt all over the world, shedding light upon the many poor and mistreated children living in India.