Slumdog Oscar winners come home to rapturous welcome

Mumbai/Chennai : They arrived in hundreds to toast India's newest heroes. Fans, well-wishers and members of the media thronged the Chennai and Mumbai airports to welcome Oscar winners A.R. Rahman, Resul Pookutty, Irrfan Khan and the child stars of Slumdog Millionaire when they returned from Los Angeles early Thursday.

Swamped by ecstatic crowds, they soaked in their newfound popularity and celebrity status with composure - and yet seemed moved by the outpouring of love.

When Pookutty, who was the third Indian to win the golden statuette after Satyajit Ray in 1992, stepped out, a cheering crowd offered him a bottle of champagne, which he opened to a huge round of applause.

Music maestro A.R. Rahman won India its fourth and fifth Oscars with British filmmaker Danny Boyle's fairytale journey of an Indian slumdweller.

Pookutty, who won for sound mixing, was overwhelmed by his reception.

"I never expected something like this. This is history being made," Pookutty, who was escorted by security personnel to his vehicle, told the media at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. In the end, he had to be taken home in a police van.

Irrfan, who plays a key role in the film, said: "Your reaction is greater than the Oscar."

Irrfan's wife Sutapa Sikdar added: "It will definitely be a huge moment. Even my son, who is just four, is excited."

The child stars - Rubina, nine, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, eight, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, 10 - were beaming and walked out with arms around each other's shoulders.

As Azharuddin and Rubina stepped out of the airport, the family members of both kids hugged them with tears of joy at their achievement.

The slumdwellers of Garib Nagar - where the two children live - had hired a bus to go to the airport to receive them, said Yakub Sheikh, a neighbour of the two children's families.

India's double Oscar winner Rahman also received a hero's welcome, with ace drummer Sivamani and his troupe belting out fast rhythms, dancers doing their bit and a crowd of thousands chanting "Jai Ho" as they waited for a glimpse of the man at the Anna International Air Terminal in Chennai

"I am completely overwhelmed, touched, with the kind of reception I got... it is great to be back," Rahman said late on Wednesday after returning from Los Angeles, where he bagged two golden statuettes for best original score and best original song for "Jai Ho".

He dedicated his awards to the youth.

"It's a starting point in my career and will indeed make a difference in fans' approach towards good music," he said.

"Thank you for coming, but I will not disturb you so early. We will meet again. Remember we are in the early hours."