THE father of a young Slumdog Millionaire star BEAT the lad yesterday — for wanting to have a rest.

Mohammed Ismail slapped and kicked his ten-year-old son Azharuddin in front of shocked neighbours and passers-by.

Hero ... Azharuddin's return home

The tearful boy — who plays young hero Jamal — ran back inside his home, cowering and begging his father to stop as he tried to hide in a corner.

Azharuddin had just flown back to India from Los Angeles, where he and the movie’s other young stars watched as it picked up eight Oscars.

Attention

He had been given the day off school after his long flight and wanted to rest, but his father — who hopes child star Azharuddin could be his ticket out of Mumbai’s Dharavi slum — wanted to show him off outside their home.

The boy refused to co-operate — and said so out loud — and his 45-year-old father launched his attack as his mother pleaded with the thuggish dad to stop.

Tears ... boy after beating

One stunned onlooker said: “Azharuddin’s father was upset that he was asking to be left alone because he was so tired. He didn’t attend school today so that he could recover from his long flight from LA and simply wanted all the attention to stop. However, when Azharuddin put his foot down and said that was it and there was to be no more talking, Ismail just flipped.”

The ugly scene was in stark contrast to Azharuddin’s triumphant return to the slums, when his father lifted him up and paraded him like a trophy.

Hours later Ismail — who suffers from tuberculosis — apologised for the attack.

He said: “I was very sorry I did what I did. “I was confused and stressed by my son’s homecoming and I did not know myself for a minute. I love my boy and I am very happy to have him home.”