Bernardo Bertolucci chose Raju to play the role of 'Little Buddha', in Delhi

From the archive record

This is Paharganj, a crowded suburb in West Delhi packed with small tenements and people. Here, in a one-room shack lives Raju and his family of 15. Four years ago when he was polishing and shining shoes in Kathmandu, a casting agent of Italian celluloid master Bernardo Bertolucci chose him to play the little Buddha. Bertolucci's 1994 film made Raju celebrity of sorts. His role was not memorable, the film did not become a hit but the boy still had stars in his eyes. If there was a film that could put him in the international league, Little Buddha was it, but it never happened. Raju lays the blame on Suresh Verma, alias baba, a US based Indian agent with whom he signed a contract. Raju says "I could have made it in the films if I had a good manager. But baba asked a lot for my siging fees