Incredible story of the ‘Princess from the slums’: Indian teenager, 16, is forging a career as a model so she can move her family out – but insists she’s ‘such a happy person’ who loves her life

A 16-year-old model living in the slums of Mumbai dreams of making enough money to buy a house for her family, but says she is “such a lucky person” despite her circumstances.

Maleesha Kharwa features in a new BBC documentary Streets of Gold: Mumbai, in which she explains that she hopes to become a supermodel so she can leave the world illegal squatter 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 during a visit to 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 more than $20,000 for “education, food and shelter.”

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

In the documentary she said: ‘I would like to be a supermodel.’

Maleesha contacted her favorite fashion photographer Sasha Jairam on Instagram and she offered to create a portfolio for her for free.

The teenager, who sleeps in the slum with her father and younger brother and sister, said they have no electricity.

Although the family has lived there for more than twenty years, they are constantly threatened by slum clearance.

Maleesha said: ‘They come here, a terrible gang comes and they bring bulldozers and guns and they break the house. Usually they break the house in the rainy season and monsoon season because it will be very difficult to rebuild the house.”

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

She said, “With that money, I want a big house for my father and brother, because when I was little, Dad always took care of us.”

Maleesha shares her stunning modeling snaps on her Instagram, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at her life in the slums.

Maleesha contacted her favorite fashion photographer Sasha Jairam on Instagram and she offered to create a portfolio for her for free

Sasha has created a portfolio to help the teen make her modeling dream come true

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

In a 2022 interview with Cosmopolitan IndiaMaleesha talked about her living conditions and said that sometimes they don’t even have clean water or food.

She added: ‘Then there are times when the council destroys our house because we live by the sea. When it is very hot in Mumbai, we have to sleep on the rocks by the water.’

However, the teen admitted that she loves her life because she understands what is important.

‘I find it strange when people ask me how I am such a happy person; they don’t think it’s normal to be happy because I’m poor… but I love my life.

“You can be happy even if you don’t have a big house or a nice car, because for me it’s more important to have a family that loves and supports me, and good friends who care about me.”

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

In the documentary, the teenager admitted that she loves her life because she understands what is important

Recounting her living conditions, Maleesha said gangs often bring bulldozers and weapons to demolish their homes

Maleesha shares her stunning modeling snaps on her Instagram, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at her life in the slums

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

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 it when I can do something for them to make them smile. This is just a glimpse into my little world.

‘Now I want to try being a model, in a way to earn money for a real house, enough food to eat and save for a better education! This page is for anyone who wants to help my journey!

‘I have always liked studying. Getting good grades at school makes my father very happy, so I always get good grades! English is my favorite subject and I enjoy speaking English with everyone!

‘To survive in the city, my family and I do odd jobs to earn money. Sometimes my family goes to TV and movie sets hoping to be chosen as background actors. That’s how I became interested in becoming a professional child model!’

American actor Robert added: “I met Maleesha when her family came on one of my sets to try to get cast. I knew she had a good chance, but that she needed help with the basic children’s rights to education, food and shelter.

“I was impressed that she was such a brilliant child in every way: her thoughts on helping her family; her amazing leadership skills; great numbers; and her focus on her studies. I wanted to help find the support she needs to give her a better chance at achieving her dreams.”

Hofman said The national one: ‘I was fascinated when I met her, she was sitting on a mattress in a makeshift tent. She was so striking. We made a profile video of her and auditions started happening.”