I walked out of a movie hall in Hong Kong recently after watching Dhobi Ghat with mixed feelings. While the movie was passable, it had some breathtaking shots of the city which I call my home – Bombay. Despite being a Bengali, I have always considered myself a true blue Bombayyite or Mumbaikar if you so wish! I have grown up, gotten my education, met my beautiful wife, made some amazing friends and got my first, second and third job -- all here. Despite the numerous cribs and rants from outsiders of how difficult the city it, Bombay has a way of luring you and never letting you go! How can one forget the numerous walks down Marine drive on a rainy afternoon, Worli Seaface and Bandra bandstand! Masjid Bunder, the numerous khau gallis near the college and offices! Colaba Causeway and Britannia! 
The boundless energy and the local trains! Iranis and Mani’s! On a recent trip back home after more than a year, I felt like I had been away for ages and yet it felt just like yesterday when I stepped into my new job here. I couldn’t get enough of the city in the short two weeks I was there and the movie made me painfully realize how much I missed it!
But my many years in Bombay have also made me painfully realize the short comings of this city which comes in the way of making it a truly world class city. At a photo exhibition in Hong Kong recently which depicted the historical transformation of the city I was struck by the similarities between the two cities. In the 1980’s, Hong Kong could easily pass for a Deewar version of Bombay with its tacky buildings. 
What struck me is how far Hong Kong has come since then and the yawning difference between the two cities. Ajay Shah recently posted an article on why Bombay has always managed to receive short shrift from its rulers. http://ajayshahblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/why-does-bombay-have-abysmal-governance.html That article is just one point of view among many, but the bigger point is the city has the potential to become a truly world class city. That is what made me so excited and yet so sad about seeing the slow decay of this beautiful city of Bombay in the movie. 
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