From slumdog to Hollywood: Incredible rags to riches story of Indian boy, 8, plucked from Mumbai ghetto to star in Nicole Kidman's 'Lion' blockbuster

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He sleeps, eats and lives in a single crowded room alongside his parents and two siblings in a run down slum in Mumbai - sharing a bathroom with scores of other people.

Never venturing much further than his school or the narrow passageways snaking around his home, eight-year-old Sunny Pawar was set for a life of obscurity.

But a chance audition for a major Hollywood film - now hotly tipped at the Oscars - has seen him thrust into a life of international travel, premiers and A-list celebrities such as Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel. 

His mother Vasu Dilip Pawar told MailOnline how her 'innocent, special' boy had been treated like family by the crew and stars of the film but did not consider himself famous.

'His life has only revolved around this slum,' she said. 'But what he has now seen, it's like things people like us only see in our dreams. I really do feel, miracles happen.

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Home: Far from Hollywood, Sunny Pawar sleeps, eats and lives in a single crowded room with his parents and two siblings in a run down slum in Mumbai - sharing a bathroom with scores of other people. Pictured: His mother outside the family home

Family: Never venturing much further than his school or the narrow passageways snaking around his home, eight-year-old Sunny (pictured above at home with his brother and sister) was set for a life of obscurity

Red carpet: A chance audition for Lion has seen him thrust into a life of international travel, premiers and A-list celebrities such as Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel. Pictured: With Patel at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles this month

Bond: Sunny was treated like family by the crew and stars of the film and given new clothes, food and toys. Pictured: With Kidman in the film, who plays his adoptive mother

'I never allowed him to spend a lot of time with the outside world as I did not trust anyone outside the family. His life outside his home only involved school and tuition classes, nothing else.

'I never in my dreams thought his life would turn into this. His innocence and talent has taken him so far. He is very lucky.'

Vasu spoke to MailOnline from the family's single room, where possessions are piled high again each wall with toys, saucepans and bedding crammed into the tiny space. 

The stuffed koala given to Sunny during filming is perched prominently on a high shelf.

She said: 'I feel so blessed to call him my son, not just because he's now a film star but because he's such a special child.'

Casting directors had been trawling around Mumbai to try and find the perfect child to play Saroo, star of the film Lion.

It tells the true story of Saroo who as an impoverished little boy became separated from his brother before deciding to jump on a train where he fell asleep and woke up 1,000 miles from home in the city of Calcutta.

He spent weeks on the streets before being saved by an Indian orphanage which arranged for him to be adopted by an Australian couple who raised him 6,000 miles away from his home.

The film has been a smash hit with six Oscar nominations, including Best Film, Best Supporting Actor for Patel and Best Supporting Actress for Kidman.

Sunny, who lives in a slum near Kalina, a Mumbai suburb, was attending the government Air India Modern School.

Vasu remembered: 'This casting team had gone round lots of different schools in the city asking kids to audition so when they arrived at my son's school he was so excited.' 

Humble beginnings: Vasu spoke to MailOnline from the family's single room, where possessions are piled high with toys, saucepans and bedding crammed into the tiny space. The stuffed koala given to Sunny during filming is perched prominently on a high shelf

Playground: Casting directors had been searching for the perfect child to play Saroo, star of Lion, about a poor Indian boy who get lost, ends up in an orphanage and is adopted by an Australian couple. Pictured: Sunny's brother Jignesh (sitting) plays in an abandoned Jeep

Basic: Sunny, who lives in Kalina, a Mumbai slum, was attending the government Air India Modern School and persuaded his father he should try for an audition. Pictured: Sunny's sister Divisha near the entrance to the family home

Poor: When Sunny won the part, his father Dilip gave up his job in housekeeping, earning around Rs10,000 (£100) a month, to support him while Vasu remained at home to care for her other children, six-year-old Divisha, and Jignesh, four

They invited anyone to audition at a venue in Andheri, west Mumbai, early last year, and Sunny persuaded his father Dilip Pawar, 32, to take him.

'My husband has been Sunny's biggest supporter,' said 27-year-old Vasu. 'He'd always dreamt of seeing his son shining across the globe.'

Out of 2,000 auditions Sunny was chosen as one of the final three. He missed out on the top slot, but after another boy dropped out, Sunny won the role.

But when he was offered the life changing opportunity the family suffered some devastating news.

'His aunt died just as he was offered the role,' Vasu told Mail Online. 'We got the call but we were with the family and we were in mourning. We couldn't imagine just leaving.

'My husband couldn't disrespect the family in such a way. But thankfully everyone supported us and our parents encouraged him to go. 

'With their support and blessing we accepted the offer and Sunny and his father flew to the shoot.'

Dilip gave up his job in housekeeping, earning around Rs10,000 (£100) a month, to commit his time to Sunny.

But Vasu remained at home to care for her other children, six-year-old Divisha, and Jignesh, four.

Vasu said: 'I was extremely scared at first. He could not speak any English, he could only speak Hindu and Marathi, and he'd only ever mixed with his family and the people in our community. 

'We knew no one from the movie crew but they convinced me and assured me of his safety.

Daunting: Sunny could not speak any English, he could only speak Hindu and Marathi, and had only ever mixed with his family and the people in his community. Pictured: Sunny feeding a kangaroo while filming in Australia

Support: Sunny's father was with him throughout but his mother Vasu praised the crew and stars of the film for treating their son 'like family'. Sunny with Kidman and fellow child actor

Family: The cast and crew became like a second family, providing Sunny and his father with food, clothes and toys. Pictured: Sunny with cast members including Dev Patel (middle) and his own father Dilip (right)

Attention: When not in the Hollywood spotlight, the school day runs from 12-6pm and he squeezes extra tuition on either side of the day. Sunny lapped up the attention at the Golden Globes (above)

'They treated him like a family member, like their own child. My husband was with him throughout but the team helped them both greatly with food, clothes and toys. 

'They took care of him like their own child. It's like he found a new family.'

It was a far cry from his slum life. While his family live crammed in one room in the badly built tenement block, his grandparents live in a room on a floor above and his uncle's family all live in another single room close by.

There is one shared bathroom for the whole block and the toilet is just covered by a curtain.

'Sunny grew up watching Bollywood movies,' Vasu said. 'He loved acting and always wanted to be on television.

'But I used to tell him it's a different world. It would be very hard for people like us to get into the industry.'

Sunny's achievements has not only made his family proud, he has now become an inspiration in his slum community.

Grandmother Shobha Beema Pawar, 45, said: 'Kids around our area have always been very naughty but Sunny's achievement has given them their own dreams. 

'They now have goals in life. It is good to see these children - and their parents - changing their view on life and career. These children now want to achieve something in life, and their parents have started supporting them.

Role mdel: Sunny's achievements has not only made his family proud, he has now become an inspiration in his slum community. Picture of Sunny as a young boy taken from the family album

Normality: Vasu (above) is determined that life will continue as normal for Sunny while at school where he can study his favourite subject maths. Pictured: At the family home

Dreams: 'Sunny grew up watching Bollywood movies,' his mother told MailOnline. 'He loved acting and always wanted to be on television.' Pictured: The Air India Modern School where Sunny was chosen from 2,000 to play the role of Saroo

Grounded: When Sunny returned home after filming last year he was greeted with a huge welcome home party but Vasu is keen for life to continue as normal. Pictured: A family portrait

Inspiration: Sunny's grandmother said his success had inspired others in the slum area (above) to pursue their dreams

'It is so beautiful that our Sunny has become an inspiration to so many others at such a tender age. This was written in his destiny and I thank the Almighty for that.'

When Sunny returned home after filming last year he was greeted with a huge welcome home party. 

Neighbours welcomed the little star with excitement and enthusiasm but Vasu just wanted her boy home and for life to get back to normal.

'I didn't want a fuss,' she said. 'He's a simple boy from a simple family and I didn't want him to think otherwise. I wanted him to remain the same boy. Thankfully he's still very grounded and does not feel like he's a star. He shows no arrogance or attitude. I feel proud of that.'

But Sunny's time away meant he had missed his mother's home cooking.

Vasu said: 'I had missed him a lot so I cooked him his favourite fish fry and dhal on his return. He had been telling me every time he had called that he missed my cooking so he was quick to eat as soon as he arrived home. I was happy to cook for him again and see him eating in his home again.'

Sunny Pawar's future is now very different to what it was, but his mother is determined he will remain the down to earth boy she has raised.

'This is just the beginning of his career but I will make sure this experience will leave no impact on his day to day life. He will get on with his normal life again soon.  

Home cooked food: Sunny, who played a young Saroo, had told his mother that he missed her home cooking so she made his favourite fish fry and dhal on his return. Picured: A still from the film

Reality: Saroo was adopted by Sue and John Brierley (pictured above) and grew up in Tasmania for 25 years before tracking down his birth mother, who had never stopped hoping he might be found alive

Sunny (left) played a young Saroo (right) who found himself on the streets of Calcutta, not speaking the language, after falling asleep on the wrong train, 1,000 miles from home

Proud: 'I always felt very proud of Sunny even before he won this movie role,' said his mother. Pictured: At the premiere of Lion with Dev Patel (right), the real Saroo (second right), actress Priyanka Bose (middle), Kidman and Saroo's real adoptive mother Sue Brierley (left)

'And he will go back to school. We have no plans to move out of this slum just because our son has become a star. We will continue to stay here and we will live a normal life just like before.' 

His mother said he loves school and his favourite subject is maths.

His daily routine consisted of extra tuition at 9am, then school 12-6pm. Extra tuition until about 7pm. Then he'd play with this siblings until dinner was served and then bed. 

He loves cricket and plays outside their home with his siblings and neighbours.

Vasu said: 'He's always had this innocence to him. But at the same time very intelligent. I only had to tell him something the once and he'd listen.

'He was a good boy, very obedient child and I always felt very proud of him even before he won this movie role.'