Malavika’s Mumbaistan: The spirit of Mumbai Meri Jaan

On this week’s Malavika’s Mumbaistan column, find out how the spirit of Mumbai Meri Jaan is alive and kicking. Trust Mumbaiites for their good vibes and giving and sharing nature always. Read on

It’s going to be a fitting emblem of statuesque designer Maheka Mirpuri’s decade-long and tireless commitment to the Tata Memorial Hospital and her NGO MCan, when Karan Johar hosts the annual auction next Wednesday, to raise funds to alleviate the suffering of underprivileged cancer patients.

Ever since she lost her own father and brother –in- law within the span of a year to the disease, Mirpuri has demonstrated peerless dedication to help raise funds for the hospital’s financially- challenged patients, in particular, those who are fighting head and neck cancer and these efforts have resulted in a sum of over ₹8 crore being donated towards the cause till date. (HT Illustration)

Ever since she lost her own father and brother –in- law within the span of a year to the disease, Mirpuri has demonstrated peerless dedication to help raise funds for the hospital’s financially- challenged patients, in particular, those who are fighting head and neck cancer and these efforts have resulted in a sum of over ₹8 crore being donated towards the cause till date.

Maheka Mirpuri (HT Photo)

“Alarmingly cancer doesn’t just affect the patients. It affects the whole family that is financially and emotionally drained with the treatment” she says, adding, “Head and neck cancer is among the commonest cancers in the country with the highest incidence in the low socio-economic strata. And the situation has only worsened with the pandemic and the hospital needs funds more than ever to help among other things get voice boxes for the poor who have lost their voice post their operations. Since most patients are illiterate in these strata, the only communication is through their voice.”

The fundraiser which has become a big-ticket much-awaited event on Mumbai’s social calendar has in the past seen the likes of Boman Irani, Vivek Oberoi and Talat Aziz take centre stage to coax, charm and persuade Mumbai’s rich famous and successful to part with their monies to support the noble cause.

This year’s fare given that it is the occasion of its 10th year anniversary promises to be even more attractive, with luxury TV and golf sets, rare diamond jewellery, art and sculpture all for the taking by the highest bidder.

Karan-Johar (HT Photo)

Of course, given that all this will be purveyed by none other than Karan Johar, the country’s undisputed high priest of glamour and gift of gab, will ensure that next week’s coming together of fashion, philanthropy and a delicious serving of the city’s prime movers, shakers (and givers!) will be a night to remember.

“Maheka took the Can from Cancer and created MCan to aid Tata Memorial Hospital. As we celebrate ten years of giving, let us open our hearts and purses and save lives. “As Johar says, “Cancer may have started the fight, but together we can end it for those affected and their families, turning patients into survivors.”

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It was created in April 2018 as a private group on Facebook to celebrate all things Mumbai and its spirit. But it was only during the pandemic that the 201.2K members strong (and rapidly growing) Old Bombay page really appeared to take off.

Fuelled by nostalgia, lockdown-imposed isolation and WFH, from a randomly visited distraction it has fast become the go- to page for a host of people across the world on which to share their thoughts, feelings and memories of the city they love.

Typical posts have been about Mumbai’s cherished restaurants and cafes, colonies and neighbourhoods, childhood games and activities and quirks and foibles and personalities.

For instance, a dipstick into its recent fare offers: a picture essay on the charms of Andheri: a sepia-toned memory of the famous rotating ‘Thumbs Up signage atop the Fulchand Terrace on Marine Drive; a paean to the wonders of mango Frooti (‘Fresh and Juicy’) among the first tetra pak drinks to be launched in the country; a handsome portrait of Mumbai born conductor Zubin Mehta at his ancestral home in Navsari; a fond post marking the passing of a member and a remembrance of the by now almost defunct ‘accordion peg rack’ the simple, wooden contraption that adorned the walls of many a Mumbai home back in the day.

What sets the Old Bombay group apart from others of its ilk, is the palpable sense of community, kindness and kinship that it fosters. Whether this has something to do with its particular demographic of mostly senior citizens who have come to regard the world and their lives with benevolence and gratitude or the excellent and alert stewardship of its administrators and initiators, Prakash Shroff and George Eapen, it is not hard to see why it has found for itself such an ardent following.

A recent post by one of its members extolling its virtues and rating it with a ‘10 –on- ten TRP rating ‘evoked a flood of agreement. ‘Undoubtedly! Most importantly because it takes you back to the world we have lost but the one we cherish the most… “was a typical response.”

The spirit of Mumbai Meri Jaan is alive and kicking…

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The last time we saw her was a few months ago when she so ably hosted the Save Soil event in Bandra Kurla to felicitate the arrival of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev on the Mumbai leg of his 27- country motorcycle mission to raise awareness for soil conservation.

Even there, actress, producer and activist Juhi Chawla had stood out for the quiet dignity and inner conviction with which she carried herself.

Once one of the most successful actresses of her generation, with a slew of hits with Shah Rukh Khan and other Bollywood A-listers, Chawla appears to have now attained the near impossible achievement of managing her celebrity status and career and her role as a wife and mother, without compromising on her privacy and personal beliefs.

This is why her pledge this week to plant 1000 trees to commemorate the birthdays of her late brother Bobby Chawla, iconic singer Lata Mangeshkar and Ranbir Kapoor, who celebrated their birthdays on Wednesday, was one more instance of her striking individuality.

What’s more, Chawla’s commitment to the cause of alleviating soil erosion is not just lipped sympathy or pocketbook activism.

Earlier this year the effervescent actress travelled to the Erode district of Tamil Nadu to understand first-hand the ground impact of the Cauvery Calling mission to revitalise the river by encouraging local farmers to switch from crop to tree-based agriculture. After interacting with them, she had pledged to raise funds for supporting the planting of 1 lakh trees and to date has sponsored the planting of saplings on the birthdays of actors Shah Rukh Khan, Rishi Kapoor, Ayushman Khurana, Hrithik Roshan, Rakesh Roshan, Asha Bhonsle Anupam Kher and Yash Chopra.

Will this novel way of celebrating a Bollywood celebrity’s birthday catch on amongst her colleagues and peers?

It does not appear unlikely. Chawla’s request on her own birthday to friends, fans and family to plant saplings resulted in the planting of 30,000 of them, we’re informed.

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