Explore Mumbai's visual landscape through cultural and architectural elements at this session this weekend

Poster in a deserted theatre in Madhya Pradesh

A city that never sleeps, a city of dreams, Maximum City - titles for Mumbai that become familiar with those even before they arrive in the city. And while all these are true in their own way, a part of this writer's immigrant experience also strongly believes that despite the constant hustle, and the reality checks, Mumbai, is also a dreamy city. A rainy evening walk through the beautiful lanes of Colaba after a movie or a stroll along Marine Drive brings out the beautiful cultural construct of the city.

Poster of the 1964 film, Leader at a theatre in Nashik. Pics courtesy/Hemant Chaturvedi

Following a similar vein of thought, Colaba's APRE art house is organising a session where photojournalist Fawzan Husain, photographer Hemant Chaturvedi, and architect Nikhil Mahashur will discuss the changing aspects of Bombay through the lens of cinema, architecture and transport as part of the exhibition, Urban Palimpsest. "The panel discussion seeks to critically examine the evolving essence of Bombay through an exploration of its cultural and architectural markers. Iconic symbols such as the now-discontinued Padmini taxis or kali-peelis, and the single-screen cinemas, once highlighted the city's distinctive character. By situating these elements within the broader socio-historical and cultural context, the panel aims to foster a critical dialogue on the shifting identity of Mumbai and its implications for the city's collective memory and urban fabric," Prerna Jain, gallery director, shares.

A moment from a previous session at the gallery

From single-screen theatres to iconic movie sequences, old Bombay has lent itself to the visual medium in more ways than one, reaffirming its presence in a common space between architecture and films. Mahashur tells us, "Architecture and cinema are very closely linked. When we talk about changing landscapes, photos and cinema are the foremost mediums to witness it. There is a scene in Amitabh Bachchan's film, Deewar where he says the iconic dialogue, "Main aaj bhi pheke hue paise nahi uthata..." and you can see the whole stretch of Marine Drive in the background. These movies serve as great reference points in architectural practice as well."

Prerna Jain and Nikhil Mahashur

For Hemant Chaturvedi, one of the panellists in the session, his passion project of documenting single screen theatres has taken him deep into the anatomy of a theatre house. "I have been documenting the single screen theatres in the country for six years now. From these Art Deco structures like Regal cinema in Bombay to today's multiplexes, there has been a huge evolution of the cinema space in the city."

Hemant Chaturvedi, Fawzan Husain

Covering 1200 old cinema single-screens across the country, Chaturvedi's pieces in the exhibition document a rapidly vanishing cultural space. "In my tours around the country as part of the project, I have seen posters of films from the 1960s on the walls of these old theatres. This makes you realise how there has been a gradual erasure of actual entertainment spaces in the country. For people of my generation, cinema was one of the most elaborate entertainment options. There would be a whole process to it - buying tickets, planning the day, dressing up. Now that culture has died with single-screen cinemas taking a backseat, and the advent of OTT," he shares.

Photo exhibits from Fawzan Husain's collection at the gallery

Mumbai's connection with cinema culture is inextricable, as is the role of architecture in providing a space to establish such strong roots in public memory or as Jain says, "These historical trajectories are interwoven with the city's evolution, capturing its spirit, resilience and complexities as it transitioned from a colonial outpost to a modern-day urban sprawl."

On December 13; 6 pm onwards.
At APRE Art House, 3rd Pasta Lane, Colaba.
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