I was made promises but it was all talk: ‘Miserable’ life of Indian girl who starred in Oscar-winning documentary after being abandoned by Hollywood filmmakers to live in two-bed shack without a toilet

An Indian school girl who shot to fame in an Oscar-winning documentary has revealed her anger and heartbreak that it did not help her escape a life of crushing poverty.

Pinki Sonkar captured the hearts of the world when she starred in Smile Pinki at the age of five, which told the story of the cruel abuse and taunts she suffered for having a cleft lip before receiving the life-changing surgery.

The youngster was taken on a whirl-wind journey from her mud-built home in rural India to London and Los Angeles where she rubbed shoulders with A listers and politicians, igniting hopes and promises that it would lead to a new life for her and her family.

She walked the red carpet alongside Hollywood stars at the 81st Academy Awards when the acclaimed film won an Oscar in 2009. 

And her newfound stardom saw her invited to do the coin toss at the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Finals in 2013, kicking off what was to be Andy Murray’s historic win over Novak Djokovic.

But despite the hope of a better tomorrow, her dreams have failed to materialise as Pinki endures a life full of ‘pain and poverty’ 

Pinki captured the hearts of the world when she starred in Smile Pinki at the age of five, which told the story of the cruel abuse and taunts she suffered for having a cleft lip before receiving the life-changing surgery

But despite the hope of a better tomorrow, her dreams have failed to materialise as Pinki endures a life full of ‘pain and poverty’ no different to that what she faced before featuring in the Smile Pinki documentary.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline from her home in the village of Rampur Dhabahi, Pinki cried: ‘Life has always been difficult for me, and nothing really changed after the film.

‘We were poor then and we’re poor now. When I went to America for the Oscars, we were living in a mud hut and things aren’t much better now.’

She added: ‘I was praying that life would improve because a lot of promises were made to me by the film people and some politicians. But as you can see, it was all talk. Things are still miserable.’

Pinki lives in a house made up of two decrepit rooms which she shares with her parents and three siblings. Family time is mainly spent in a dusty courtyard with no roof where they eat, cook and wash as dozens of chickens run around.

The home has no bathroom, running water or gas while the electricity is intermittent and WIFI a distant dream. 

The family do not have money to buy a television or any other electrical items and there is no furniture, apart from a shabby bed made of rope, which is used as a sofa and some plastic chairs.

They go to the toilet in fields behind their ramshackle home.

Pictured, a grab of Pinki before her surgery in the Oscar-winning Smile Pinki 

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline from her home in the village of Rampur Dhabahi, Pinki cried: ‘Life has always been difficult for me, and nothing really changed after the film’

Pinki’s newfound stardom saw her invited to do the coin toss at the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Finals in 2013

Pinki rises at 4.30am each day to walk half-a-kilometre to draw water from a filthy well which is used by the family to drink and bathe with.

After completing her domestic tasks, she then boards a rickety bus that takes her to school in a town around an hour and a half a way.

Now aged 21, she said: ‘Life is never easy for poor people. It is full of pain, but we cannot afford to think about this too much. I am disappointed that people didn’t help me as much as they said they would but what can you do?

‘My priority now is to try and make something of myself so that I can give my family the best.’

A broken road winds its way to Pinki’s village in the Mirzapur District of Uttar Pradesh, eastern India through bleak hilly terrain that is dotted with houses made of mud or straw where some of the country’s poorest people live.

Bare footed locals can be seen toiling in the fields while others break rocks which are sold to local quarries. Cows and buffaloes meander along as children wearing rags and no shoes run amongst them through the dust.

Pinki was hoping to escape all this after being spotted by NGO Smile Train India, who came to her village. 

Her father, Rajinder Sonkar told them about his daughter, who was teased by local children and did not go to school because of her cleft lip, which he said left her traumatised and socially ostracised.

The youngster (pictured, with her dad) was taken on a whirl-wind journey from her mud-built home in rural India to London and Los Angeles where she rubbed shoulders with A listers and politicians, igniting hopes and promises that it would lead to a new life for her and her family

Pinki (pictured, in her school uniform) walked the red carpet alongside Hollywood stars at the 81st Academy Awards when the acclaimed film won an Oscar in 2009

Pinki lives in a house made up of two decrepit rooms (pictured) which she shares with her parents and three siblings

A broken road winds its way to Pinki’s village in the Mirzapur District of Uttar Pradesh, eastern India through bleak hilly terrain that is dotted with houses made of mud or straw where some of the country’s poorest people live

Pinki Sonkar flashes her famous smile at Doctor Subodh Kumar Singh (right), who operated on her cleft palate, as her father Rajendera Sonker looks on (left)

Moved by her plight, the charity took her to the city of Varanasi, which is located around three hours away where they performed her surgery for free.

Pinki’s journey was documented by American filmmaker Megan Mylan, who came across the little girl and her father after discovering the sheer scale of the problem, with thousands of children being treated at just one hospital.

Pinki said: ‘I have no complaints about the charity because they are still helping me a lot and come to see me. But it is some of the other people who I met that have let me down.

‘When they took me to the America and Britain, I met a lot of rich and important people. They were happy to have their photograph taken with me and say nice things but apart from that, they did nothing.’

The family eke out a living by growing vegetables on a small plot of land gifted to them by the local government following the success of the Smile Pinki film.

Mr Sonkar, 45, revealed that they eat most of what they grow, and anything left over is sold at the local market. He makes around £50 per month, a paltry figure even by Indian standards where the average monthly salary is around £440.

He said: ‘We don’t go hungry but there is little money for other things. Life is a big challenge for poor people like us, but we try to get on with things. What other choice do we have?’

Pinki rises at 4.30am each day to walk half-a-kilometre to draw water from a filthy well which is used by the family to drink and bathe with

After completing her domestic tasks, Pinki (pictured) then boards a rickety bus that takes her to school in a town around an hour and a half a way

Pinki Sonkar being carried by her father during a picture with the then-Indian Prime Minister’s wife Gurcharan Singh Kaur

Pinki Sonkar (pictured as a child) is back living in her childhood village, which is in one of India’s poorest areas

He revealed that thanks to some government help the family’s situation has marginally improved. 

At the time Smile Pinki was made, they lived in a home made of mud. They now have two brick rooms and started work several years ago on building two others.

But Mr Sonkar said that he requires another £2,000 to complete the project, money which he does not have.

He cried: ‘Our home has been like a building site for many years and there’s little chance that this will change. I’m sure the film made a lot of money for some people but not for us.’

Pinki has no photographs or mementos from her trips to the US or Britain apart from a photograph of her with Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic ahead of the Wimbledon final.

She revealed that the only thing the two multi-millionaire stars gave her were two signed tennis balls, which she and her friends played with after returning to the village and have since been lost.

She said: ‘I’ve got the photograph, but I still don’t know the names of these two men and am not interested in tennis. I prefer cricket. The tennis balls didn’t mean that much to me, I’d much rather have had some money.’

Recalling her trip to London, Pinki said she saw a lot of ‘beautiful’ things but cannot remember their names.

She said: ‘There was a big house where the Queen lived and a large clock tower close to the river which made a lot of noise.

‘But my main memory is how bland the food was and the lovely hotel room, which had such a comfortable bed. I had never slept in a bed like this before, I felt like a princess.’

Pinki has no photographs or mementos from her trips to the US or Britain apart from a photograph of her with Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic ahead of the Wimbledon final

Despite the destitution, Pinki is adamant that she will not let it defeat her (pictured, Pinki with her father)

She revealed that she tries to keep up with Oscars news each year which is not always easy as there is no television in the home.

Pinki said: ‘I can’t always watch the Oscars, but I like to see the highlights when I can because it reminds me of my own time there. It was like a dream, a wonderful fairy tale that ended very quickly.’

She was accompanied on her trips to the US and Britain by her father.

He said: ‘I couldn’t believe how healthy and rich people looked and will never forget my time in in these countries. I don’t normally wear trousers and shoes and didn’t even own a jumper but luckily, they were provided for me.

‘It was the first time that Pinki and I got on a plane, and it was a fantastic trip, although it was very cold. It might not have made a big impact on the reality of our lives but at least we still have the memories.’

Pinki is the final year of school and harbours dreams of going to university and becoming a civil servant.

But even that is in jeopardy as the family do not have the funds to finance her higher education, which they estimate will cost around £6,000.

Despite the destitution, Pinki is adamant that she will not let it defeat her.

She insisted: ‘I want to get a good job and still believe that a day will come when I will be able to beat poverty.

‘Smile Pinki made me famous all over the world and a lot of people watched it. Surely they would be willing to help me so that I can make a better life for myself and my family?’