The Untold Truth About The City Of Dreams
“Let’s start then, shall we?” asked William, in a professional tone. “Sure, I’m ready.” replied Sagar, who, on the surface, seemed well prepared and calm. Internally, however, he was panicking and constantly rehearsing all the lines in his mind. Patrick, the cameraman, stood in position and, with William in frame, said “3..2..1..Start!” As he started recording the video, a red light began to blink from the camera. “Welcome, explorers! Today is the first of July,2020. It is 6:30pm and we are at perhaps the most popular destination in all of Mumbai- the Marine Drive! This is a 3.9 km long stretch…”
William explained as Patrick recorded different views from different angles: he captured the natural harbour with its rocks, the waves hitting against the shore, the C-shaped bay and the high rising buildings in the background. For a moment, Sagar forgot about the anxiety of the interview and started to view the city through the eyes of the visitors. Even though he had spent his whole life in this city, this place never failed to amuse him. “And today we have with us a man whose name literally translates to ‘the ocean’! Hello and welcome, Sagar.” Before he even knew, Patrick had focussed his camera on Sagar. “Oh, hello. My name is Sagar and I am 35 years old. Welcome to Mumbai.”
“Sagar is the most well-known tourist guide in the city. He gives information about various landmarks of the city such as the Gateway of India, Juhu Beach, and Marine Drive and fills the minds of the visitors with wonder and amazement. I would like to ask you, for how many years have you been working in this field?”
“I started this job because I had no other means of livelihood. My father died when I was only 13 years old; being an only child, I immediately decided that I was the one who had to take up the responsibility of feeding my family. At that time, this was the only opportunity for me to earn. But gradually, I came to fall in love with this job; it taught me so much about the city I have been brought up in that it made me realise how little I knew about it and how much I still had to discover.”
“How much do you earn each day? Is it enough for you and your family?”
“I earn 1500–3000 rupees per day. If rich people come by, it’s a bonus. Some are so fascinated that they give extra tip. It isn’t very much, but we are at a far better place than we were when I started.”
“Thank you so much for your time, Sagar. We really appreciate it.”
“Is that all?” Patrick exclaimed in disbelief and disappointment. “Don’t mind me, I’m just trying to add some quick suggestions. Doesn’t this interview sound too mainstream? I believe we should add something that makes it stand out.”
William sighed. “How many times do we need to have this conversation? Retaining the genuineness and simplicity of the story is the most important thing. It can not be compromised just for the sake of making it ‘stand out’. What do you think, Sagar?”
But Sagar was not listening. He was staring at the city lights, thinking why so many people were drawn to them. “Do you know that Mumbai is also called ‘Mayapuri’?”
William was a bit taken aback. “Uh- no. What does that even mean?”
“Mayapuri means ‘city of dreams’. Every year, thousands of people leave their hometowns and come here to make something out of themselves. They have expectations of a better life- a life that gives them freedom, respect and fulfilment. It’s all a bunch of lies, if you ask me. Will people who come to live here automatically be granted the life that they have always dreamt of? I’ve been here my whole life, and I can say with full confidence that this is untrue. I have seen struggle here; I have seen dreams getting shattered in this very city that proudly claims to be called the ‘city of dreams’. Isn’t that something worth thinking about? Or do people only want to hear about the Marine Drive, the Gateway of India, or the Juhu Beach?”
“Now this is what I’m talking about! I think people will be very interested to know the unspoken truth about this city. What do you think, William?”
William was amazed by this new idea. He had never thought of it like this before. “Yes, this is the perfect way to combine the genuineness of the story with an interesting background. We should delve into this more deeply. Thank you so much for your help, Sagar. I am grateful, truly grateful.”
William and Patrick shook hands with Sagar and said goodbye. As Sagar watched them leave, a sense of purpose dawned on him. The thought that his idea could give voice to hundreds of Sagars filled him with satisfaction. This only lasted for a moment though, before he walked back to a group of tourists waiting for him at the Sunset Point.
