Bhendi Bazaar Redux

Nambiar is not the only one aspiring to tell a story in the harsh setting of this South Mumbai neighbourhood. Just like Yash Chopra found a perfect backdrop for his movies in Switzerland,I found mine in Bhendi Bazaar, says Ankush Bhatt,director of Bhindi Bazaar Inc,a story of a gang of pickpockets operating from the area. He went there looking for an alternative Mumbai beyond the usual attractions like Marine Drive,Flora Fountain or the Asiatic Society. Though I used to go there to enjoy the food,I found the whole area fascinating. Most buildings in the area were constructed a century ago. Still,they have an aura of grandeur .

Bhendi Bazaar has been a maze filmmakers have loved to revisit with their cameras for its noir effect. A few minutes away from the high rises of Colaba and the middle class housing societies of Chira Bazaar,this former stomping ground of gangsters,a culinary haven for foodies and home to everything antique,has many tales of true grit to share. It is known for its vintage buildings with ornate windows and balconies,the crush of crowds thronging shops selling stones,leather,embroidered garments,eateries,bakeries and secondhand electric appliances,and the bling of bangle stalls. With the mirrored shop walls reflecting the shiny itar bottles that perfume the streets,the locality has been a character filmmakers fancy for a dose of realistic cinema.

Mira Nair used the area as she explored the citys darker side in Salaam Bombay (1988),Anurag Kashyap shot Black Friday (2004),based on the 1993 Mumbai blasts,right here in Bhendi Bazaar. In the recent past,Raj Kumar Gupta shot the gritty Aamir,and Kiran Rao showed love and the loss of innocence as the rains poured over the century-old buildings of the locality in her directorial debut,Dhobi Ghat (2011).

Even with families living in 10 by10 rooms and decay lining the old buildings,the area that has been romanticised on screen. One can just disappear in its maze of galis and secret doors and corridors,Bhendi Bazaar can also surprise you with a sudden oasis of space and quiet. When scouting for locations ,in a really busy part of the locality,we found a sprawling wedding hall with a serene air. We shot the scene of an American asylum,right in the heart of the noisy area. It was the film’s opening scene, says Vandana Bhatti,executive producer of Shaitan.

Those looking for a more personal experience and surprises of their own have to brave the perennial congestion on the road below the serpentine JJ flyover. Such effort is instantly rewarded with a burst of colours at Meena Bazaar,situated at the mouth of Bhendi Bazaar. Come evening,this long row of makeshift shops selling bangles of all possible hues and designs dazzles under the yellow bulbs giving it an air of a mela. This impression,however,is not off the mark. Celebration is everywhere especially during Eid. At the heart of Bhendi Bazaar is Raudat Tahera,Dawoodi Bohras place of prayer,which is lit up with fairy lights throughout the year.

And along with festivities come the feasts. Surti 12 Handi,one of the areas oldest eateries,serves up its famous paya and nalli nihari,(mutton stew served up with a heart-stopping layer of oil); the Noorani restaurant for its chicken and mutton dishes; and Firoz Farsan for Patrel Biryani and barfis (which are sold by the kilo). Restaurants such as Shalimar and Noor Mohammadi have had fans for decades. Falooda,a traditional beverage made of milk,rose syrup and vermicelli,is Shalimars claim to fame while Noor Mohammadi has M F Husains doodle to boast of as proof being popular with Mumbais celebrities.

Yet the most compelling reason to brave the not-so-clean lanes of Bhendi Bazaar is the hunt for antiques. At Mutton Street,more famously known as Chor Bazaar ,one can find anything that is old and out of circulation,from obsolete auto parts to film posters,candlestick phones,grandfather’s clocks and elegant teak furniture. I have often taken my friends from abroad to shop in Chor Bazaar, says Nambiar,who also refers to the area as a photographer’s delight.

While this world of quirks is perfect for tourists and gets celebrated on celluloid,the residents themselves live a hard life: with old buildings,lack of garbage disposal systems,defunct sewage systems. At times,it even borders on being unsafe given that buildings are often a few cracks away from tumbling down. There has been no development here in decades. Residents have been living in squalor and congestion, says Abdul Gaffar Memon,who has lived here for 40 years.

The Saifee Burhani Upliftment Project a redevelopment project spearheaded by Syedna Mohamed Burhanuddin,the spiritual leader of Dawoodi Bohras has started developing the 16.5 acre Bohri Mohalla in Bhendi Bazaar. The project will provide fully-furnished homes to 3,500 residents of the area, says Murtaza Ali who heads the team working with tenants on the project. It will provide space for nearly 1,400 shops in the vicinity,including a 60,000 square metre underground parking space.

Yet,there are people like A Aziz K Mansoori ,who deals in rare photographs and brochures of Hindi cinema in a tiny room on Mutton Street. As per the trust’s plan,his shop is supposed to be relocated to a mall. That may make him happy,but he does fear that his patrons who like hunting for Hindi cinema memorabilia in an old building wont find it charming any more. Bhendi Bazaar after all wont be the same without its archaic and

ageing world. n