India welcomes its first “Slumdog Millionaire”

Before the show, Sushil Kumar, 26, earned just £75 a month working in a government office in Bihar. His trip to the Mumbai studio was his first to a city and on a plane.

The 2008 Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire was about a boy from the slums who wins the jackpot on the show, which is hugely popular in India.

Mr Kumar told show host and Indian movie hero Amitabh Bachchan he could now afford to pay for a preparatory course and take India’s civil service exam. He also plans to build a library in his home town, buy a home for his wife and help his brothers set up small businesses.

He and his wife of five months wept when Bachchan, handed them their cheque for 50 million rupees (£630,000).

“You have created history. Your grit and determination has made you come so far in this show,” Bachchan said.

Mr Kumar’s neighbours persuaded him to try out for the show as he would watch it with them and get most questions correct.

The episode was filmed on Tuesday and will be shown next week.