An Indian girl who escaped poverty by starring in an Oscar-winning film and enjoyed a rise to stardom that saw her toss a coin before the Wimbledon final in 2013, is penniless once again.
Pinki Sonkar was just five-years-old when she starred in the 2008 American documentary film ‘Smile Pinki’ centred on the life-changing surgery to correct her cleft lip.
Directed by Megan Mylan, the film won an Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject) and generated national attention for raising public health awareness about clefts.
Pinki Sonkar was just five-years-old when she starred in the 2008 American documentary film ‘Smile Pinki’ (Pictured here at Wimbledon in 2013)
![Pinki Sonkar (pictured) with Andy Murray at the beginning of the Wimbledon final in 2013](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/15/02/82493497-13199767-image-a-77_1710468164364.jpg)
Pinki Sonkar (pictured) with Andy Murray at the beginning of the Wimbledon final in 2013
Soon after, Ms Sonar enjoyed a spell of fame and took part in the customary coin toss at the Wimbledon final in 2013 between Andy Murry and Novak Djokovic.
But Ms Sonar, who is now 18, is back in her village of Mirzapur, near Varanasi and has found herself in ‘the same circumstances as before’.
Speaking to The Telegraph she said: ‘Nothing has changed for me. Visiting the Oscars was a great experience it filled me with joy.’
Ms Sonar went on to say that ‘apart from journalists’, no one comes to visit her.
As a young girl, Ms Sonar was isolated from her community because of her deformity and was previously not allowed to attend school.