Jamal is the story's hero, a Muslim boy raised in the slums of Mumbai. He endeavors to live an honest life despite the crime and deceit of his upbringing, and he needs a miracle in order to find his lost love. Jamal is played by Dev Patel as an adult and child actors Ayush Mahesh Khedekar and Tanay Chheda as a young boy.
Latika is Jamal's true love. She grew up with Jamal and his brother in the slums, only to find herself the concubine of a ruthless crime lord. She loves Jamal desperately but is afraid that her "husband" will destroy him if they consummate their love. Actress Freida Pinto play Latika as an adult, while Rubina Ali and Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar portray her as children.
Salim is Jamal's elder brother and grows up with Jamal and Latika on the streets. Unlike Jamal, he falls into a life of crime as he grows up, acting as an underling to Latika's "husband." In the end, he shoots his employer and allows Latika to escape, sacrificing his life in the process. Madhur Mittal plays the grown-up Salim; Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala play him as a child and a young man.
In addition to the three leads, the film features three other pertinent characters who play a large part in the drama. Javed --- the crime boss who "owns" Latika and crosses swords with Jamal (and ultimately Salim) --- is played by Mahesh Manjrekar. Prem Kumar, the host of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" --- who believes that Jamal is cheating when he goes on an incredible winning streak --- is played by Anil Kapoor. And the unnamed police inspector who interrogates Jamal after he is suspected of cheating (and who ultimately absolves him of the charge) is played by Irrfan Khan. In addition, "Slumdog Millionaire" involves dozens of minor characters and incidental figures who appear onscreen for short amounts of time.