Indian girl who escaped poverty by starring in Oscar-winning documentary and enjoyed rise to stardom that saw her toss the coin at Andy Murray Wimbledon final now penniless

An Indian girl who escaped poverty by starring in an Oscar-winning film and became a star, flipping a coin before the 2013 Wimbledon final, is penniless again.

Pinki Sonkar was just five years old when she starred in the 2008 American documentary ‘Smile Pinki’, which focused on the life-changing surgery to correct her cleft lip.

The film, directed by Megan Mylan, won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature (Short Subject) and generated national attention for raising public health awareness about canyons.

Pinki Sonkar with Andy Murray at the start of the Wimbledon final in 2013

Soon after, Ms Sonar enjoyed a period of fame, taking part in the customary coin toss at the 2013 Wimbledon final between Andy Murry and Novak Djokovic.

But Ms Sonar, now 18, is back in her village of Mirzapur, near Varanasi, in “the same conditions as before”.

Speak with The Telegraph she said, “Nothing has changed for me. Attending the Oscars was a wonderful experience and filled me with joy.”

Ms Sonar went on to say that ‘except journalists’ no one comes to visit her.

As a young girl, Ms. Sonar was isolated from her community because of her deformity and was not allowed to attend school.