Be here,be ‘spotted’

WTF!,which marks the beginning of the Yari Road stretch,however,is only one of the prominent hangouts in the area. A walk around the neighbourhood will testify for Fernandes’ words. While WTF’s neighbour to the right,Costa Coffee,is the latest café where future actors wait to be “spotted”,Mia Cucina is where film and TV production teams often drop in for a quiet lunch over wine. A number of other restaurants,Chai Coffi,O Lounge,Ivy Bar & Bistro and the recent Bru World Café are located down the road. Numerous other small eateries and spas dot the stretch as conversations about auditions,shoots and parties can be overheard without much effort. Actors,established as well as wannabes,can be seen admiring their toned muscles in the mirror through the glass-walled gyms.

Yari Road,clearly,is the new Lokhandwala,which at any given time of the day is filled with as many starry-eyed youngsters as industrywallas. Ironically though,until a few years ago,the area,with its proximity to the sea,was mostly a fishermen’s village. Considered back-of-the-beyond,the rich and the famous mostly staysed away from Yari Road-Versova. However,as Andheri West began to expand and then overflow with film industry aspirants and offices,the builders gave it an overhaul. While many industry folk — Arshad Warsi,Niharika Khan,Daboo Ratnani and others — moved there seeking good yet reasonably priced property a few years ago,it has turned into a lifestyle hub only over the last two years. That the quaint Aaram Nagar I and II,with studio spaces and film offices,including that of Anurag Kashyap and Sudhir Mishra,are in the vicinity,only adds to the draw of the place.

An international film publicist and a Versova resident,Z — as he prefers being called — lends a perspective,“The film industry is such that it draws the young from across the country. And many don’t willingly rent out a house to industry folk,especially singles. So they settle in wherever accommodation comes easy. The lifestyle aspect is hence a byproduct.”

Like Lokhandwala,the transformation of Yari Road-Versova began with Barista and Café Coffee Day outlets. “The basic need of the industry people is a good cup of coffee and conversation,” says filmmaker Rajshree Ojha,a resident of the neighbourhood. Ivy was one of the first “posh” eateries to open here in 2006,paving the way for others. And soon,Lokhandwala had competition.

Today,says Ojha,many filmmakers conduct offices out of Costa Coffee. “There is a film happening at every table,” laughs the director,who prefers to “meet” at Ivy. “Known for its quaint quotient,you can spot scriptwriters seated there for hours,writing scripts over glasses of wine.”

While Costa means pure business,Chai Coffi,owned by restaurateur Farhan Azmi and actress wife Ayesha Takia is the informal meeting place. “When Ekta Kapoor,a regular here,comes to our restaurant,young models and actors would simply pour in,” says Azmi. Having replaced the nine-year-old Barista three months ago,Chai Coffi didn’t have to go scouting for patrons. However,the premium pricing for the food and beverages does keep away those who would visit Barista “only to be seen”.

Each of the restaurants and businesses on Yari Road can boast of celebrity regulars. But it’s the faceless lot,those waiting for a break,that lend a buzz to the neighbourhood.