Model living In Mumbai's slums dreams of buying her family a house

A 16-year-old model living In Mumbai's slums dreams of making enough money to buy her family a house, but says that 'such a happy person' in spite of her circumstances.

Maleesha Kharwa features in a new BBC documentary Streets of Gold: Mumbai where she explains that she hopes to become a supermodel so that she can move out of the illegal squatters settlement in Bandra, where she lives with her father, brother and sister.

The so-called 'Princess from the slums' was discovered in 2020 by Hollywood actor Robert Hoffman after a chance meeting while he visited India.

The Step Up actor then set up an Instagram account for her, where she now has more than 400,000, followers, and started a GoFundMe page for the family, which has raised in excess of $20,000 for 'education, food and shelter.'

Maleesha has become the face of the luxury Ayurveda brand Forest Essentials, and graced the covers of fashion magazines Cosmopolitan India and The Peacock.

Speaking in the documentary, she said: 'I would like to be a supermodel.' The teen, who sleeps in the slum with her father and younger brother and sister, said they have no electricity.

Although the family have lived there for over 20 years they are constantly under threat from slum clearances.

Maleesha said: 'They come here, an awful gang come and they bring bulldozers and weapons and they break the house, they usually break the house in rainy season, monsoon season because it will be very difficult to build the house again.'

Elsewhere in the documentary the teen model revealed she was photographed for one of India's biggest skincare brands Forest Essentials.

She said: 'From that money I want a big house for my father and brother because when I was small daddy used to take care of us.'

(Maleesha Kharwa, who lives in an illegal squatters settlement in Bandra, dreams of making enough money to buy her family a house)

(Maleesha contacted her favourite fashion photographer Sasha Jairam on Instagram, and she offered create her a portfolio for free)

(Sasha created a portfolio to help the teen make her modelling dream a reality)

Her profile reads: 'People say I live in a slum but I ❤️ my life! I hope to be a supermodel to help my family eat.'

In a 2022 interview with Cosmopolitan India, Maleesha opened up about her living conditions, saying sometimes they do not even have clean water or food.

She added: 'When it is very hot in Mumbai, we have to sleep on the rocks by the water.'

'You can be happy even if you do not have a big house or a nice car because, to me, having a family that loves and supports me, and good friends that care about me, is more important.'

(Hollywood actor Robert Hoffman (pictured)

(The teen, who sleeps in the slum with her father and younger brother and sister, said they have no electricity)

(In the documentary the teen admitted she loves her life because she understands what is important)

(Maleesha opened up about her living conditions, saying gangs often bring bulldozers and weapons to break down their house)

(Maleesha shares her stunning modelling snaps on her Instagram as well as a behind the scenes look at her life in the slums)

Writing on her GoFundMe page the teen wrote: 'I live with my father, brother and older cousins who love me and treat me like their little princess - "The Princess from the Slums". I love when I can do something for them to make them smile. This is just a glimpse into my little world.

'Now, I wish to try and be a model as a way to help earn money for a real home, enough food to eat, and save for a better education! This page is for anyone who wants to help my journey!

'I have always loved studying. Getting good grades in school makes my father very happy, so I always get good grades! English is my favorite subject and I love to speak to everyone in English!

Ref: Model living In Mumbai's slums dreams of buying her family a house Photo Credit-dailymail