From Bombay to Mumbai - Transition through Bollywood's lens.
Songs that beautifully captured the city from being called Bombay to what it is now, Mumbai.
Song: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil...Yeh Hai Bombay Meri JaanShemaroo
Describing a common man's life in Bombay through the song.
This scene depicts one of the most prominent buildings in the city: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (C.S.T) a historic terminal train station.
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Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
Formerly known as Victoria Terminus. This location still holds value in a common mans life as a part of their daily commute in Mumbai.
Song: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil...Yeh Hai Bombay Meri JaanShemaroo
A song from the 1956 movie C.I.D. starring Johnny Walker who while singing smartly pickpockets a passerby's wallet, but sadly left with no luck through his act.
Song: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil...Yeh Hai Bombay Meri JaanShemaroo
Lyrics describing Bombay
The lyrics of this song were given by Mohammed Rafi, a legendary playback singer of Hindi cinema. Just in these eight words, he describes the daily life of a common man in Bombay.
Song: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil...Yeh Hai Bombay Meri JaanShemaroo
Marine Drive
Trams and "Tanga" (horse cart), were commonly used as a mode of public transport in Bombay, now nowhere to be seen in Mumbai!
Singing Rafi Ji's words sitting on a "Tanga", which passes through Marine Drive. Another famous tourist attraction of the city.
Panoramic view of Marine Drive (2019/2019)Art Deco Mumbai
Queens Necklace at Marine Drive
As seen in the song, where the actors ride on a "Tanga" through the road adjoining to Marine Drive still stands and holds its original beauty. Marine Drive is also known as the Queen's Necklace because, when viewed at night from an elevated point anywhere along the drive, the street lights resemble a string of pearls in a necklace.
Song: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil...Yeh Hai Bombay Meri JaanShemaroo
From Bombay to Mumbai
Interestingly both these places, C.S.T. and Marine Drive are still locations for shooting and tourist attractions in Mumbai.
Song: Raat Kali Ek Khwab Mein AayeeShemaroo
Bandra Fort as the shoot location
Raat Kali Ek Khwab Mein is from the 1971 film Buddha Mil Gaya.
Throughout the 1970's, most of the songs were shot at the scene itself and not using sets. As seen even in this song the location is Bandra Fort, a popular view point point even now.
Song: Raat Kali Ek Khwab Mein AayeeShemaroo
Bombay, city without the Sea Link
Here in the background throughout, we can see the Arabian Sea and that is Bandra in Bombay. A Bombay without the sea link. A city with Textile mills seen in the background.
Song: Raat Kali Ek Khwab Mein AayeeShemaroo
Textile Mills in Bombay
In this scene, the textiles Mills of Worli are seen in the backdrop. In 1982 these mills were permanently closed after the strike.
What one can view now standing at the Bandra Fort is the city with buildings standing tall with a beautiful Sea link connecting one part of the city to another
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Bandra in Mumbai
View of Bandra Worli Sea Link from Bandra fort.
Song: Bajoo Babu Samjho IshareShemaroo
Colonial Bombay
Starring three real-life brothers Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar, and Anoop Kumar in the reel life. Here we can see the heart of Bombay, beautiful colonial-style buildings, no high towers, and broad roads. A combination that is hard to find in Mumbai city.
Song: Bajoo Babu Samjho IshareShemaroo
The heart of Bombay
A few seconds in the song shows 'Eros Cinema', located in Churchgate. The building still stands tall, but not as popular as it once was.
Worm's eye view of Eros Cinema, Churchgate (2019/2019)Art Deco Mumbai
Eros Cinema
This is what the cinema hall looks like in Mumbai now. A cinema hall that once held events for the Indian film industry has now lost its charm and value and is nothing but a building like the rest. The interiors are no longer considered vintage.
Song: Bajoo Babu Samjho IshareShemaroo
"Chalti ka Naam Gaadi"
"The one that works, is a car".
Although the translation of the film does not make sense, this was and still is one of Bollywood's popular songs. This scene shows Vintage cars, on the roads of Bombay.
A frequent sight to spot in the city. Whereas, now "vintage cars" are nothing but a part of collectables and display pieces in the city.
Song: Bajoo Babu Samjho IshareShemaroo
Success history of the film
In order to avoid paying huge taxes to the authority and show losses in his income, Kishore Kumar made this film hoping it would fail.
But the exact opposite happened and 'Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi' was a huge box office hit. Annoyed by this fact he gifted and gave all the rights of this film to his secretary, Anoop Sharma.
Song: Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan (With Titles)Shemaroo
Mumbai - The city that never sleeps.
A song from the 2010 film Apartment. Beautifully capturing what the city is now called, Mumbai.
The song starts by capturing the high rise towers of the city followed by the iconic location of Marine Drive which still holds its name and popularity.
Song: Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan (With Titles)Shemaroo
Heart of Mumbai
Here we can see what truly describes the city, the traffic, the local trains and the city that never sleeps.
Song: Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan (With Titles)Shemaroo
From Bombay to Mumbai
From showing the iconic building to showing the hustle in the city, this scene captures both. the famous Asiatic Library and the Sea Link.
Song: Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan (With Titles)Shemaroo
This is Mumbai
This scene and even the lyrics describes and shows us the reality of Mumbai!
The high towers, the malls, the street food, the night life is what Mumbai is known for.
Song: Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan (With Titles)Shemaroo
This remains the reality of the city, inspite of growth and advancement there were and still are differences in the society.
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