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I visited the shantytowns in Mumbai, India. As you might expect, it was truly eye-opening. There were numerous occasions when what I was seeing was incredibly depressing. However, there were other times when there was a great deal of happiness and lots of smiles.
I was initially hesitant to take the tour because I thought it was impolite to enter and show awe at those who were experiencing poverty. Therefore, despite how much I wanted to visit and explore an Indian slum, I declined. I decided against the tour after learning more about it, though.
I went on the tour with a few other guests from the guesthouse, which was led by a local NGO. The fact that it was a paid tour and the money we donated would be reinvested in the neighborhood we were visiting is what convinced me to change my mind. We were promised to be shown evidence of how these funds were aiding the local families, but it is wise to always be skeptical of such claims.
Our tour guide met us at the train station when we arrived. He was a very nice man who was from the region we would travel to. After he gave us a brief overview of what to expect, we left.
The tour had its share of highs and lows. First, we took a tour of the shopping district, which was primarily a depressed area. We went to tiny, ramshackle buildings where people were working in appalling conditions on tiresome, unhealthy tasks.
The majority of the things we saw were types of recycling enterprises. There were facilities for recycling aluminum and plastic. Recycling is crucial for the world, yet the methods used might not be the greatest.
We also passed by a lot of clothing stores that had crowded rooms with sewing machines operating at full speed. We were able to see several of these clothes, and they were of good quality.
We went to the residential section after the business sector. In a good way, this section was incredibly engaging. Without a doubt, there are many drawbacks to this, but they are plain to see, and I’m attempting to concentrate on the positive. From the outside, the neighborhood appears to be a terrible place. Your eyes are nonetheless opened to a deeper level once you reach the place.
You wouldn’t know it by looking at some of the people, but the houses are incredibly small and resources are scarce. Numerous locals are happier and more carefree than those you would find in a crowded city like LA or New York. Although it’s an intriguing idea, it makes sense that people would experience less stress if they had fewer worries. If I’m completely wrong about this, kindly correct me or add to it in the comments section.
Seeing and playing with the kids was the most enjoyable aspect of the tour through the residential area. When we passed some children while walking, they frequently became animated. The majority of them waved and said “Hi” to every one of us while beaming broadly. Their smile grew bigger when we waved back and said hello.
Some of the more daring youngsters would approach us and strike up a conversation, which would typically begin with “hi, what’s your name?” From where do you hail? A few of these kids would recite information about their native country (not just mine, but people from other countries in my group as well). They were giggling and laughing nonstop the entire time.
It was intriguing to observe content children in a slum. It relates to the notion that ignorance can occasionally be bliss. The kids aren’t stupid, I’m just saying they don’t know any better. They are young kids who are oblivious to the outside world and appreciate the modest pleasures in life. People are genuinely happy when they have access to these basic things.
This tour was worthwhile to take. Naturally, places like that can be seen in movies or on television, but visiting them in person elevated the experience. And it was remarkable to discover that happiness can exist in large quantities even under the most trying circumstances.
Day 2
My friends and I were extras in a fantastic Bollywood movie.
I was able to accomplish my main objective for India the following evening. I was able to break into Bollywood at last!
I guess I wasn’t trying to become a star, but I did seize the opportunity to work as an extra in a movie. Once he has seen all the shots I am in, the movie’s director will be looking for me.
Westerners are frequently sought after to work as extras in local movies. I hoped I would be given the chance. The proprietor of the guesthouse received a call one day and enquired as to if anyone was interested. Hell ya, I exclaimed.
The guesthouse provided me with the company of 7 other fantastic individuals, and we had fun working together.
We were picked up by a bus and driven out of the city towards the hills. We were given some outfits after being welcomed with free food. We were expected to be partying, so our outfits were funky beach attire. The film’s location is a beach in Goa, India, which is well-known as a party locale. I was handed flip-flops, shorts, a sleeveless t-shirt (so far, so good), and then a hat that was a plush dragon head cap (what?). Their conception of what westerners often wear is a little wrong.
In a VIP tent, where we danced and pretended to party, a real pig that we were all meant to be afraid of was present.
A friend had a humorous idea after the sequence was shot and I leaped over the pig: I’ll try to relate that narrative, just that scene, in 40 years, or even when I get home, and it won’t make any sense. I’ll do it here to practice:
When I was in India while filming a Bollywood movie, there was a scene when we were all in a tent and a pig was roaming about, terrifying us all. When the pig raced towards me, I leaped over it. It was fantastic!
On the set were a few well-known celebrities. I felt like I was moving in the right direction as I flirted with a few of the actresses and hoped one of them would marry me so I could get my big break in the movie business, but sadly, it didn’t work out that way, hehe.
From 6 p.m. until 6 a.m., it took about 12 hours to complete the filming, but it was so much fun. After India, Hollywood should be my next stop.
The Indian slums and Bollywood in two days—two different worlds. What a fantastic two days.
As you might expect, none of the two locations permitted cameras, so I’m sorry I don’t have any photos to share. To see what the slums are like, you may watch Slumdog Millionaire, and if you’re interested in the name of the amazing movie I was in, email me. It should be out later this week.
Within the next week, the business I went on the tour with is scheduled to send me a link to a collection of expert photos taken in the slums; once I have that, I will post it.
Even though I have enjoyed my experiences over the past two days, I still have a long way to go before I can say that I am in love with India. But perhaps we’ll make it.
