OBSERVATIONS
MUMBAI MERE JAAN! 
By: Tenzin Yangdon

A name that draws everyone, it has the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor. Mumbai is the city that makes you to think your destiny twice. Besides being the financial capital of the country, it is home to Dharavi- Asia’s largest slum and ironically the entertainment capital of India, home to its biggest tinsel stars.

Close to thirteen million people toil under the Mumbai sun while at least a thousand make their way to the city of dreams everyday. And many of them nurture a dream of making it big in the tinsel town—Bollywood! Strangely, of late few of prominent stars in the industry objected to the tag name. Rather, the Indian Film Industry is the tagline endorsed and preferred by the likes of Amitabh Bachchan.

When I board the local train for the first time, I was on the threshold of beginning a dear life which seemed all set for its mighty fall given a slight shove. I cursed myself for getting myself into turmoil. But with the people ushering me into the mainstream city, my spirits begin to elevate.  Trying hard to be oblivious to the encroaching discomfort, I actually managed to make the journey with ease since I got grooved into the spate of events happening in the train.

The next day, although the train was crowded as usually it is, I had learnt my lesson the day before, squeeze and managed a seat in the corner. Since I started observing things around, I realised the magnitude of Bollywood`s influence on the average Mumbaiite. Most of the teenagers were extremely fashionable and in sync with the latest trends. Only a Mumbai girl can dare to get clad in those eye-luring outfits. My cousin, a Delhiite, admits that a girl wouldn’t be able to walk on the aisle of Delhi streets with those skimpy clothes. Mumbai is not conservative in the true sense and much of the credit goes to film industry.
Movies and everything minutely related to movies is celebrated here. Be it clothes, parties, books, music etc. An average Mumbaikar spends at least an hour every day commuting to and fro work or college and it FM that makes their best mate. To this end, Mumbai gloats of 6 FM stations and the music mania hitting people’s life… 24 * 7.

Everyday, I see women (women because there are in the ladies exclusive coach) engrossed into the smooth rhythm of the songs and getting lost into their own little dreamy world. While some hum, few gazing out the window and some dance, whilst the rest of us are mute spectators treated to a good show.

Then there are tabloids providing gossip about film, TV stars and their never-ending parties that rock n roll every night. The ordinary gets a sneak peek into the lives of almost the extraordinary. But in the same breadth, I must confess that the film (unless it’s the big shots of Bollywood) or TV stars walking past might not attract a second look. These same actors, if they were to visit any other city, might get drooled over.

Regional cinemas have their own matinee idols like Rajnikanth from the Tamil film industry and Ravi Kishen from the Bhojpuri film industry (Surprisingly, Rajnikanth is the 2nd highest paid actor in Asia (Jackie Chan! assumed to fit the bill) beating the likes of Big B and King Khan). Mumbai is in Maharashtra, yet it is Bollywood films of different genres that rule the roost, leaving wee scope for Marathi films. Shahrukh Khan stepping into Amitabh Bachchan`s shoes as the new host of Kaun Banega Crorepati, the Indian version of ‘Who wants to be a millionaire?’ and the sentenced Sanjay Dutt is what makes the striking headlines that sells the papers.
 Everyone who comes to this city either hates it or loves it. Mumbai leaves no space for apathy, just as you either love or hate Bollywood, but you can’t simply ignore it.
She is working at Times Now News Channel, Mumbai