Rubina Ali

Critics have claimed Rubina and her co-star Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail had been underpaid for their part in the film. This has been disputed by the film's producer, who says the actors had been paid the equivalent of a monthly salary payment for the production company's senior staff in Britain. A trust fund has been set up for the children which will be released to them when they turn eighteen, provided they continue in education until this time.

Both Azharuddin and Rubina attended the 81st Academy Awards on 22 February 2009, along with all of the other actors who played Salim, Jamal and Latika. Azharuddin was accompanied by his mother Shameem Ismail, while Rubina was accompanied by her uncle. This was her first journey outside of Mumbai.

In March 2009, Rubina was cast in the Bollywood film Kal Kisne Dekha (2009), alongside her Slumdog Millionaire co-star Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail. The film was directed by Vivek Sharma and featured the Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Rishi Kapoor and Juhi Chawla in cameo roles.

In July 2009, 9-year-old Rubina wrote an autobiography called Slumgirl Dreaming detailing her life so far and her experience filming Slumdog Millionaire, making her the youngest person to pen a memoir.

In 2009 Ali announced that she would be starring in the romantic comedy Lord Owen's Lady alongside Anthony Hopkins, but as of 2013 the film has not commenced filming.

As of 2020, she was studying fashion design at a university and was working a part-time job at a makeup studio.

In 2022, she opened her own beauty salon near Mumbai. She is pursuing a career as a hair and makeup artist. In an interview with The Times of India, she said would be open to possibly acting again.