Kunal Karan Kapoor

Memories of Mumbai-Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan

Posted on by bioscopewalirachna

Sometimes, the merest thing can trigger off memories- an image, a sound, the whiff of a perfume. I  viewed a photograph of Mumbai….endless tall buildings, a grey snaking road and a bird soaring in the sky and there I was transported back to my favourite city.

I WAS suddenly that bird…..free, flying, soaring over a city which I love-warts and all! A city which sets me free….for it has given me so much to be grateful for. A flood of recollections came rushing…..about Mumbai or Bombay as it was then, about me. About happiness, contentment, a simple life and friends.

My earliest memories are of Bombay….since I was born there in a Naval hospital. The family roots were in Mumbai- a slew of them…..Grandparents, uncles, aunts, second cousins, spread across the length (since there is very little breadth) of the city. My father was in the Air Force, so we travelled the country on postings. Summer vacations were invariably in Bombay. Thus giving me the most enriching moments of my life.

My nani and mausi lived in Worli….in one of the oldest chawls possibly in the city. I had friends in all the 10-12 houses. A  terrific view of the Naka itself , an Irani cafe across the road, a delectable bakery around the corner and that lovely sea breeze blowing all the time.  A HUGE fish market close by made for entertaining visit with nani. The access to the fish was through a row of other shops selling utensils, bangles, groceries and  the most amazing peach coloured “Shrikhand” flavoured “golis” which I could eat by the dozen.(still can!) Kittens with pointy ears and huge eyes skulked in corners, hungrily eyeing the glazed eyed fish heads as the benign, “nav-vari” clad ladies sold their “not very aromatic when raw” wares at the top of their voices! Colourful, thriving, throbbing with life, full of vitality, rushing at a great pace…life in Bombay for me.

The vacations were idyllic. Playing with my dolls, getting them married, swinging on the makeshift swing my nani used to rig up for me, eating, sleeping, movie outings, meals at family homes, LOTS of books to read and lots and lots of companionable conversation, a normal loving home. Simple pleasures, simple joys. Shaping my personality for the years to come.

What I also learned, though I realised it only later was the absolute melting pot of cultures I got exposed to and learnt from. Maharashtrians, Gujaratis, Sindhis, Marwaris, they all taught me a bit about themselves. The language, the food, the nuances have stayed with me through the years. I know kanda, batata, kothmir as I know aloo-pyaz, dhania! I love little vatis of dal with varan as much as I do my aloo paraths. I love sai-bhaji-A Sindhi dish bursting with greens , surprisingly healthy AND mouth wateringly delicious.

Ganpati, Govinda, Gudi Padwa were our festivals-celebrated in all their fervour by all in the community. Ganpati in fact is my favourite festival- as much for the lovable Vighnaharta Vinayak as for the community feel and tremendous sense of belonging it gives. I always wanted to celebrate Ganpati back here in Delhi too but it somehow has never happened. I do however, make it a point to visit wherever the “sthapna” has been done. I do manage till laddoos on Sankranti, the occasional dandiya –raas garba twirl during navratri and Maharashtrian sarees always! The beats of the dhol from Bombay make me want to break into that rapturous, unfettered dancing which is so Mumbaiyya! Think “Mach gaya shor sari nagri re” from “Khuddar”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-u4VdG064I. Think ONLY the beats and music from “Chikni Chameli”!

As I grew, the dolls went, the books increased, the outings and family remained the same. Comforting in its sameness, we had a drill-reach Mumbai….relax and then meet and visit EVERY single family and relative we had. Shopping at Dadar and Gandhi Market (beautiful sarees) and on occasion a memorable trip to Crawford Market, which has remained with me also for the delicious “faluda” I sampled at Badshah.  Movies dotted our busy social schedule and other activities also were fitted in with ease-which once included a show called “Holiday on Ice “graceful ice skating and dancing.

The teenage years ended and college beckoned-in my case The Institute of Hotel Management at Veer Savarkar Marg….popularly known as Dadar Catering at Shivaji Park…:) And I discovered a totally different Mumbai…..as a young student. BEST buses to get to college-inevitably the same one every day, vada pav at the Dadar beach, hitching a ride home (students of Dadar catering were famous for hitching rides….it was against our principles to pay to go home!) Clothes from Fashion Street, browsing for book bargains on the pavements of Fountain and drinking Energee. An occasional high expense (we were students) visit to Strand book stall left me happy with my loot but thirsting for LOTS more. A place I discovered which stays my very own is an outcrop of rocks right behind the Mahalakshmi temple. Once done with the darshan, it used to be possible to just go sit there and gaze at the sea. Indescribable peace.

Weekends were for movies at Sterling and Regal, and for visiting my dada-dadi at Vile Parle. My best friend lived a short walk away, so long hours were spent in his company, discussing the meaning of life and sampling pav-bhaji at Adar-one of those typically Mumbai Udipi joints serving delicious everything-Idli, dosa, pav bhaji, uttapam, fresh juices, sev puri, dahi batata puri…..yummmmm!

The (very) occasional night out parting with friends, an odd party there and my college life was sorted. Since, at our college, we also were required to work in hotels post 5 pm to gain practical experience, a whole bunch of us were inevitably found near The Taj around midnight, finding our way home. Walking the deserted streets-safely I might add to the nearest station or bus stop. College itself was fairly hectic and military like in its schedule and expectations…I guess I took to it because I grew up in and with the Air Force.

Three years sped by….and in each of those, Mumbai was racked by violence. The riots when the Babri Masjid fell, the horrific blasts and the subsequent riots too. My Mumbai was battered and bludgeoned. It was hurt. But its spirit was intact and it came to its feet in a trice and cocked a snook at the perpetrators of those heinous activities. It said to the world-“my head is bloody but unbowed”.

The assaults on Mumbai have continued since, but till date the city bounces back…albeit that she is an old lady now.

I left Mumbai 18 odd years ago. Since the, I have gone back almost once in two years for some achingly short and some satisfyingly long holidays. It still holds its charm for me. It still liberates me.

I now live in Gurgaon-a part of the National Capital Region of New Delhi. Very often, I witness the great Mumbai-Delhi divide…..endless discussions on the merits and demerits if both. Many people around me rue the state Mumbai is in today. Overcrowded, dirty, chaotic. Full of immigrants. They crinkle their noses in disdain over the slums. They shake their heads at the slow-moving traffic. They say “I can’t live in Mumbai”. And I look at them and think…”I wish I COULD live in Mumbai. I t is home. It is happiness. It is the days of my youth.”

(Thank You Kunal Karan Kapoor for permission to use the photograph!)

(This post was published as “Indelible Bombay” by Unboxed Writers http://unboxedwriters.com on August 21, 2012)

Mohan aur Mrs Vyas Ki Kahani Me Meri Dilchaspi……….

Posted on by bioscopewalirachna

A television series called “Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha” (NBTNMKK for all future references) is a great favourite of mine these days. It, in fact is the reason I suddenly got down to business and started writing. Mohan, Megha, Nanhi, Guru, Shaadi, Pyaar- The words and names have been travelling with me for a while now. Time to put them down on paper (or up in cyber space?).

So here goes…  NBTNMKK is my favourite viewing on TV today. It is a love story and I am HOPELESSLY addicted to them….specially ones where the chances of a happy ending are bright. So far, in this one they are. The show has been on air for 6 months and over a hundred episodes and I am deeply involved in the way the story and the protagonists lives are unfolding. Strong opinions on the story line, Megha’s attitude, Mohan’s sincerity, and Renu bhabhi’s snide remarks are being voiced and shared via social networking. I gnash my teeth when another suitor appeared; I bristled in indignation when Mohan is ignored. 100%, total, absolute involvement. It’s like I live in Juna Mohalla- much like Harry Potter visiting a Pensieve.

The series is Hrishikesh Mukherjee-esq in its treatment (in my lay person’s opinion). Think Golmaal, Chupke Chupke, Khubsoorat, Guddi- not absolutely off course but in several ways. In the simplicity of the narrative, real people, honest emotions. No garish sets, the language is simple and the look and feel is understated and realistic (the ladies are NOT competing with Christmas Trees!!!!).Even the music is soul stirring…..rare for a television show.  The actors are consummate performers- from the seasoned to the debutante. Each one is so much the character they are playing, that is difficult to think of them otherwise.

For me, at the moment it is only Mohan and Megha’s love story.

Megha-a young Widow with two children (Nanhi and Addu), who lives with her in-laws in Indore. Her husband passed away in a mishap where a flyover collapsed due to sub-standard material being used. He was blamed for that and she has been fighting to get his name cleared. She is a dutiful daughter in-law and devoted mother and is somewhat misplaced in her efforts to do what is right and make her family happy. Deep down though, there is still the flicker of a lively, fun-loving, young woman who has stopped living for herself completely.

Portrayed realistically by Aakanksha Singh. Barely in her twenties and so immensely talented. Hailing from a theatre background, she emotes as Megha so effortlessly…as a loving mother, a caring daughter-in-law and a woman deeply in love but determined to do what is right. Her mixed emotions at Mohan’s impending engagement are a sight to watch and her confession of her love for him was symbolic-her always tied hair was free….like accepting that she loved him set her free- for just that moment.

Mohan-An honest, no-nonsense crime reporter. He works for the best news paper in Indore. Is a plain speaking, somewhat irreverent, matter of fact person with a deep rooted sense of justice and honesty. Below a cultivated gruff exterior, there lives a soft hearted, caring person who helps a school girl because he can’t see her crying her eyes out.His heart and his values are in the right place.

  Kunal Karan Kapoor is masterly in his portrayal of Mohan. He enacts Mohan as the unlikely hero to the hilt. The tousled hair, the casual bearing, the untied shoelaces are a perfect foil for the starched and stiff Mirchi Madam. More often than not, it’s his eyes that do the emoting. Indulgent as Nanhi’s Spiderman, Menacing while beating up a street thug messing with “his Megha”, Mischievous as he spars with Renu bhabhi and oh so tender when they light upon Megha. He even hangs on to her handkerchief as a keepsake!   As a crime reporter hunting down the drug mafia he is determined and matter of fact. With his mother he is loving and patient when he tries explaining his feelings for Megha. With Guru, he exchanges friendly natter but Guru’s importance in his life leaves us in no doubt.   An actor par excellence. Very real, very believable. I’m sure a lot of young ladies are sub-consciously seeking their own Mohan out there.

They meet in true Bollywood/Mills and Boon style, on a fiery note. He calls her Mirchi Madam; he is the “lafanga patrakar” according to her family. They graduate to barely tolerating each other….as neighbours-no options there! Then sheer dislike on Megha’s part—after all he threw a spanner in the works towards proving her husband innocent. He eventually does get her husband justice – and rights a mistake he readily admits to having made. In fact he pretty much is her knight in shining armour-albeit on a motor cycle. Rescues her from the lascivious intentions of her boss for one! But as they hover around each other’s periphery they slowly become aware of each other. It is not love at first sight….rather at 20th sight…but oh so endearing as it blossoms. A glance across the road, a ride on his bike. Leaves a warm feeling around my heart. Like a bear hug from a loved one. Like walking on the beach, on a moonlit night, like rain drops falling on your face. There is camaraderie, they care deeply about each other, and yet it’s not pure mush…they argue, they fight. But inevitably the communication never ceases, never breaks down. At this stage in the show too, when Megha  is determined to marry another man and go away and Mohan is just as determined that he will marry Megha and none other they still manage conversation and discussions. Maturely. Sans any shrieking hysterics.

This immensely lovable lead pair is amply supported by a stellar set of characters.

Nanhi-Megha’s 8 year old daughter. The story is as much about the bond Nanhi and Mohan share as it is about Megha. Cute without being sassy, older than her years or cheesy…Ashnoor Kaur plays a very sweet, very heart warming Nanhi. Their relationship is special in its acceptance and mutual liking and it shines through all the acting. Nanhi and her Spiderman (she calls him that because he responds to her SOS calls by shinning up pipes and jumping across the neighbour’s terraces. And of course he saves her world all the time!) are like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night. Warm, sweet and comforting.

Guru- Mohan’s Major Domo. Can safely be called his best friend, philosopher and guide. A big champion for Mohan’s cause i.e. marriage to Megha. They share a strong bond of affection which is apparent through all the good natured ribbing and cribbing which goes on between them. Dushyant Uday Wagh acts his role out naturally and with great sincerity.

Bela/Jijji Bua– A warm smile and twinkling eyes which are so lovable. Played by Ms Madhuri Sanjeev, Jijji bua is Megha’s aunt-in-law. An admirable character who states and accepts her lot in life without becoming a martyr to it, though is determined that Mohan and Megha should find happiness together. Outstanding to not make her the pious, widowed, scheming Bua.

 Papaji–Mr. Anjan Shrivastav in yet another stellar performance. His faith in Megha and his brave face to get on with life and do his best. A little hesitant, a little unsure, totally the quintessential middle class Papaji.

Ma, with her expressive eyes, her disapproving silences and her grief for her lost son. Ms Saroj Bhandiwdekar enacts this role of Megha’s mother-in- law with realism and dignity.

Sanjay bhaiyya- Sachin Parekh– Megha’s brother in law-A basically simple and down to earth individual. Sometimes swayed by Renu bhabhi’s protestations, but all in all a sound, hard working person.

His wife-Renu bhabhi– sharp tongued, scheming, self obsessed. What a portrayal. Rinku Karmarkar at her shrewish best.

Tannu– Nirav Soni typical teenager at odds with his family, craving riches and instant success.

Addu—Vishal Bansal– cricket crazy and brattish.

 

 

 

 

Mrs Bhatnagar-Enacted by Neelu Kohli. Good at heart and loves her son. Despite their differences over his choice for a bride (someday!), they don’t scream at each other or break ties. He wants her to accept and understand and while she has still not been able to do so, she is still by her son’s side.

Several others have performed excellent cameos as well.

 

 

 

The story itself has a social message, which is fortunately not preached about in every other frame. Very much in the background and understood so much better with the empathetic and feisty Jijji’s thoughts, rather than endless sermonising. It is more about Mohan loving Megha and her widowed state not being any sort of a barrier for him.

It is about love. Honest, accepting, sometimes frustrating, all the time fulfilling Love.