Proud LAHORI at home in BOMBAY

[Halaku Khan]

Proud LAHORI at home in BOMBAY



Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Shahvaar Ali Khan

“Haan boss. Mere ko Bandra jaane ka hai…Carter Road,” (Hey boss, I need to go to Bandra…Carter Road) I nonchalantly told our driver, Aslam, as we left the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai.

My Lahori advertising colleagues accompanying me for an ad film shoot were amazed. “Dude, you sound like a local Bombay guy!”

This was almost two years ago. Today as I again wait for my favorite Banarsi Paan from the legendary 'Mishra Paan Bhandar' on Juhu Beach (Bombay) far from my home in Lahore, I try to grasp the significance of that phrase: “Local Bombay guy!”

What made me switch from my usual Punjabized Urdu to Bambaya Hindi? Was it because, in the years since returning from college in America, I have spent more time (outside of Lahore) in Bombay in any other place?

Or because some of my closest pals during those four unforgettable years at Trinity College, USA were Mumbaikars? They were the bulk of our relatively small, yet diverse South Asian community, where we were enemies, friends and neighbors all at once. Despite maintaining our distinctive national and political ethos as Pakistanis, Indians, Nepalis and Bangladeshis, we were a tightly knit 'Desi gang.' Our camaraderie was so solid that we shared anything and everything under the sun (almost). And yet we had heated debates and fights on issues ranging from Kashmir to majoritarianism to communalism. My last memory of Trinity is an Indian friend wiping his tears, exchanging Punjabi expletives with another Pakistani friend.

Or was the root of my Bombay accent an excessive diet of Bollywood? When most kids watched Mickey Mouse cartoons, I was more engrossed in a Deewar or Sholay.

Perhaps all of the above, but something more!

“So, my sweetheart back home writes to me and wants to know what this gal in Bombay's got that she hasn't got. So I just write back to her and say, Nothin', honey. Only she's got it here!” Alvah Cecil Bessie

I am a born and bred proud Pakistani Lahori, unapologetically and madly in love with Bombay with no qualms in saying that again and again! Unlike my parents' generation that was born with the partition hangover, my Pakistaniat (identity as a Pakistani) is beyond being 'anti-India'. After Lahore, Mumbai is my second home, where some of my Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Parsi friends live; where I have been welcomed unconditionally, in fact often causing a rift between different aunts and uncles!

“Ali, you have to come straight to our place from the airport,” says a friend's father. “Okay, then you must stay with us later and leave for the airport from our place,” rebuts an aunt.

Sitting amongst them, in their living rooms or sports bars, I have watched and openly supported my Pakistani cricket heroes during the closest of India-Pakistan cricket matches. By the way, it's the best feeling in the world watching Pakistan beat India when you are surrounded by Indian fans on Indian soil! After all the heated sloganeering and patriotic chanting, we would make up instantly and go out to party at some bustling hangout spot at Pali Hill, Bandra. The characteristic Bombay drizzle brought the temperatures further down!

This is what I admire most about Bombay. Its charm permeates even through my “Pakistani” reality, but without overcoming it. Right-wing engineered riots and innate nationalistic biases aside, the avant-garde cosmopolitan Mumbaikar, is, in essence, a relativist, culturally, ethnically and religiously accommodating, sometimes despite being very devout in his personal life. He could even be living in his Marathi, Gujrati, or Muslim (it's interesting how even in Indian discourse an Indian “Muslim” identity often overshadows ethno-linguistic belonging) neighbourhood, but works, eats and hangs out in a diverse gang with relative ease. Multi-cultural and secular, at least in spirit, and increasingly testing his threshold to become one in practice too. Most young Bombayites I have come across are also not in constant denial of the idea and reality of 'Pakistan', in contrast to their predecessors.

“Mere jaise ban jaoge , Jab ishq tumhein ho jayega” -- Jagjit Singh (You will become like me, when you fall in love)

Bombay is also the city of my dreams, due to my occupation (advertising) and passions (entertainment, film, music). Undeniably, Mumbai is for the egoistically ambitious - city of the successful, for the successful. Only two types of people live there: strugglers and stars. It's the desi New York, where competition is ruthless and opportunities abound. Only aptitude and performance matter in the end -- as I have personally experienced on numerous occasions working there. Once we rejected the daughter of a famous producer after a screen test; no pressure was applied. Another time, when I thanked a famous music director for his feedback on my music after a session, he responded bluntly: “Ali mian! Remember one thing bro. In this city, no one does any favour for anyone. It's all business.”

I am not trying to imply that Bombay is a utopian paradise free of bias, nepotism and corruption. It indeed has all these vices of a typical South Asian city. But Bombay also values genuine talent and perseverance. In a nutshell, the place doesn't discourage dreamers - it challenges the extent of their madness. Perhaps that is also why “Bollywood” (I hate the term due to its unnecessary Hollywood-centric lens, but...!) has wholeheartedly, and without prejudice, embraced a Nusrat/Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ghulam Ali, Atif Aslam, Shafqat Amanat Ali, Ali Zafar, Xulfi and recently, Humayun Saeed; all Pakistanis, but gifted.

Mumbai is also the stage where many of my mentors from Guru Dutt to Sahir to Rafi to Javed Akhtar to Mahesh Bhatt to Prasoon Joshi have realized their dreams. I emulate them as a self-obsessed quixotic. Therefore, I have always felt a sense of spiritual belonging and affinity with Bombay, despite my Pakistani nationality. It has been as much mine as any Indian's and in that sense, I feel, I am a “local Bombay guy”!

“Sir Jee...O Badshaho…Paan te laa daiyo!” - I found myself asking for a paan in in Lahori-Punjabi, before realizing that I was standing in front of Mishra Paan Bhandar in Bombay. After all, the box shape, the exterior, the ornate interior décor and ambience of a Paan joint is pretty generic from Karachi to Bombay to Lahore, to Delhi to Jackson Heights, New York City.

The Pakistani Punjabi Lahori in me feels at 'home' in Bombay, strolling towards PVR Cinemas to watch “My Name is Khan” amidst Shiv Sena's Talibanized hooliganism. Imperialists and establishments around the world discuss the “good” and “bad” Taliban, while I increasingly feel like Manto's Toba Tek Singh. Insane!

The writer is an ad man, currently working on his music album and two feature film scripts.

khanshahvar@gmail.com

capti

L’HORE L’HORE AEI .... par Mumbai ki kiya baat, boss! Above: Exterior of Cooco’s Den in old Lahore; right: Cafe Mondegar in Colaba, Mumbai. Photos: Beena Sarwar

Proud LAHORI at home in BOMBAY

 

[Halaku Khan]

^^^ A question for Mr proud Lahori: are you willing to publicly denounce terrorists like Hafiz Saeed as despicable vermin?

If not, why should you not be put on the first flight back.

 

[PlanetWarrior]

^^^ A question for Mr proud Lahori: are you willing to publicly denounce terrorists like Hafiz Saeed as despicable vermin?

If not, why should you not be put on the first flight back.

What does his personal views (if he does support Hafiz Saeed that is) have on his right to visit and stay in Mumbai or India? If he poses no security threat to India then he is entitled to be in India. Some of my personal views are counter to certain Indian majority way of thinking. Should I be stripped of my Indian citizenship? It does not make my love of India any lesser. It only makes my right to question certain policies and ways of thinking stronger. And that is a given right in any democracy. The last time I was in New Delhi which was in December 2009, India was a democracy. I don't think that has changed since then

 

[Halaku Khan]

What does his personal views (if he does support Hafiz Saeed that is) have on his right to visit and stay in Mumbai or India? If he poses no security threat to India then he is entitled to be in India. Some of my personal views are counter to certain Indian majority way of thinking. Should I be stripped of my Indian citizenship? It does not make my love of India any lesser. It only makes my right to question certain policies and ways of thinking stronger. And that is a given right in any democracy. The last time I was in New Delhi which was in December 2009, India was a democracy. I don't think that has changed since then

Sir, why should there be any welcome for beasts who support terrorists murdering Indians.

Have you no regard for the lives of your fellow citizens.

 

[PlanetWarrior]

Sir, why should there be any welcome for beasts who support terrorists murdering Indians.

Have you no regard for the lives of your fellow citizens.

I love India and I love all of my fellow Indians. We choose a democracy and we should follow the rules of a democracy. If a Muslim Saudi disagrees with the policies of the USA for example and has not publically denounced Osama Bin Laden but yet talks about the beauty of New York and its people , should he banned from entering the USA? The writer of the article has declared his love for Mumbai and its people. He mentions that he disagrees with the Indian policy on Kashmir.He talks highly about our people whom he feels he can associate with. Before partition he was our brother. Now you suggest that he and other Pakistanis should be banned from entering India ? With respect sir, that is shortsighted both as an Indian and a citizen of democracy.

 

[jagjitnatt]

Sir, why should there be any welcome for beasts who support terrorists murdering Indians.

Have you no regard for the lives of your fellow citizens.

Please don't disrespect anyone. He never said he supported terrorists.
Lives all over the world are priceless. It is people like these who keep no differences between their country and ours. He could have been full of hatred and ignorance, like thousands who plan terrorist attacks in India, but he chose a better path and serve both countries.

 

[Halaku Khan]

Please don't disrespect anyone. He never said he supported terrorists.

Sir, I was giving him the opportunity to publicly and unequivocally denounce the vermin.

If, for some reason, he refuses to do so, then one has to conclude that he is supporting them.

 

[Spitfighter]

What does his personal views (if he does support Hafiz Saeed that is) have on his right to visit and stay in Mumbai or India? If he poses no security threat to India then he is entitled to be in India. Some of my personal views are counter to certain Indian majority way of thinking. Should I be stripped of my Indian citizenship? It does not make my love of India any lesser. It only makes my right to question certain policies and ways of thinking stronger. And that is a given right in any democracy. The last time I was in New Delhi which was in December 2009, India was a democracy. I don't think that has changed since then

What are you talking about bro? anyone that condones terrorists and their sponsors has no place in India.

 

[Awesome]

^^^ A question for Mr proud Lahori: are you willing to publicly denounce terrorists like Hafiz Saeed as despicable vermin?

If not, why should you not be put on the first flight back.

Ask your government to put that on the Visa form

He should probably walk around like "Hi I'm Pakistani and I denounce terrorism". You have no right to ask what his personal views are.

Most Pakistanis that are comfortable visiting India already have a huge clique of friends, a support group or just someone to guide them along the way. In most other countries when you'd be a new guy there you'd just tell people you're new and need your assistance - people would help. It's a loaded declaration out in Mumbai, who knows how people would react.

I want to check out Mumbai and Delhi myself, probably take my old parents for a trip as well who haven't seen India as well. But its not safe for everybody. I mean the last time my father was on Indian soil - 2 months old, his family was running for their lives making an escape.

 

[third eye]

Sir, why should there be any welcome for beasts who support terrorists murdering Indians.

Have you no regard for the lives of your fellow citizens.

HK,

Your anger is understandable . However, everyone is not on the same plane.

BTW, we have politicians & others withing India who refuse to condone the Maoists.. how does one handle that ?

 

[Halaku Khan]

Ask your government to put that on the Visa form

He should probably walk around like "Hi I'm Pakistani and I denounce terrorism". You have no right to ask what his personal views are.

Absolutely, that has to be on the visa form. In fact, the declaration should be video-taped and posted publicly.

And it's not enough to have a general denunciation of terrorism. Because there will always be Pakistanis trying to hide behind the "freedom fighter" fig-leaf. People should be made to declare that specific, named individuals like Hafeez Saeed are despicable vermin who should be exterminated as soon as possible.

 

[Halaku Khan]

HK,

Your anger is understandable . However, everyone is not on the same plane.

When you have young girls running out of bakeries, in flames, screaming with pain - then I'm afraid you are either with us or against us.

 

[Awesome]

Absolutely, that has to be on the visa form. In fact, the declaration should be video-taped and posted publicly.

And it's not enough to have a general denunciation of terrorism. Because there will always be Pakistanis trying to hide behind the "freedom fighter" fig-leaf. People should be made to declare that specific, named individuals like Hafeez Saeed are despicable vermin who should be exterminated as soon as possible.

What else? A declaration testifying Kashmir is a part of India?

When he says hes madly in love with Bombay, he also qualifies it saying that he's a proud Pakistani. You might as well close down visas to Pakistanis...

Pakistanis believe that Kashmir should be liberated by all means necessary. Killing Indian soldiers in Kashmir by PA or legitimate Kashmiri Separatists for the sake of liberation of Kashmir is okay.

Thats what reality is.

 

[Halaku Khan]

What else? A declaration testifying Kashmir is a part of India?

When he says hes madly in love with Bombay, he also qualifies it saying that he's a proud Pakistani. You might as well close down visas to Pakistanis...

Pakistanis believe that Kashmir should be liberated by all means necessary. Killing Indian soldiers in Kashmir by PA or legitimate Kashmiri Separatists for the sake of liberation of Kashmir is okay.

Thats what reality is.

By the way, the losers being dispatched by Indian forces in Kashmir are Kasabs from Punjab, not Kashmiris.

Perhaps the declaration should be mandatory only for Sunni Punjabis.

Groups like Balochis or Christian Masihs would have absolutely no problem denouncing Hafiz Saeed as vermin. Therefore they should be exempt from it.

 

[paritosh]

Sir, why should there be any welcome for beasts who support terrorists murdering Indians.

Have you no regard for the lives of your fellow citizens.

please understand that ordinary people in any country want to live their lives and earn their bread...marry and see their kids grow old.
Sponsoring terror and wanting blood-shed is for the schemers and plotters...
I dislike it when people generalize their hate...a couple of days back some unhappy guys blew up a cafe in pune and killed some college kids...the same shitte happens across the border...and they are as human as we are and their grief is as heavy as ours...