Relocation Expenses- “The city of Dreams”

This time I decided to move to a place that has given life and success to many people…People come here withdreams… Few Fail… Many SUCCEED and some Die With Their Dreams and they call it “Mumbai Meri Jaan”
On my first day the first person I met was from Bihar…The second person I met introduced himself as an actor. Obviously in the 1hr duration, I understood the fact that it’s a land where you find many Bihari’s and Actors…No hard feeling for Bihari’s as my origin is also Bihar..!!!About these young boys who call themselves as actors are actually strugglers who are fighting from months to years to find a single role in Bollywood or TV serials..!!We live in country where most of the youngsters run behind cricket. But, this place tells a different story. These youngsters have only one thing in mind- to become Bollywood Actors… Everyone has their own story… a bad story… A sad story but ahope to do extraordinary… a burning desire to become like Amitabh or Akshay or others..!!

I know relocation is never easy… It’s always tough to come out from one’s comfort zone and experience something new… Very new. This is not the first time I challenged my comfort zone… The 10+ years of stay in Bangalore gives me a tag of “Bangalorean”…  To break the bars, I may hold the Aadhar card and voter ID of different states…  but I call INDIA as my HOME...  To give a new experience, a new way, a new lesson I desire and love to relocate…

It’s almost a month now… I am familiar with the city… Early morning when I go out of the apartment, the watchman stands and salutes (Initially he asked me “aap hero ban ne aaye ho??” And I couldn’t stop my laugh. Later somehow convinced him I work with corporate company as a resource management professional)… The two beautiful ladies who walk around the apartment give me a big smile when they cross me… When I run in park near my apartment, the retired Colonel who runs in park greets me with loud voice “good morning Bhardwaj” … When I go to tea stall the chaiwala bhaiyaalways keeps track of my time ie “aaj 5 minute late aaye ho.. aaj 5 minute jaldi aaye ho..” and with a big smile and open heart gives me a glass full of tea.

I have heard a phrase “Delhi Dilwalo ki” but I would love to say “Mumbai Dilwalo Ki” Yes, with a month of stay in Mumbai. I feel this place is home outside home..!! This place is for everyone. When I travel to places like MARINE DRIVE I see celebrities, rich families smiling and walking… when I look on streets/footpath I found other few families smiling and sleeping on streets/footpath… Late evening when I visited to JUHU BEACH I found the fitness freak Running on the beach, got motivated to a point… other end I found a sex worker giving hand job to a guy, I just prayed to God give them a room… YOU READ IT CORRECT… Both were smiling and happy the way they are. One who signs budget of crores and work in Bollywood, eats pizza is happy the other who beg few bucks and eats Vada paav gifted by someone is also happy. THIS CITY GIVES TO EVERYONE FOR THE WORK THEY DO FOR THE EFFORT THEY PUT…!!!
Lesson learnt- So far it’s short duration with the city of Dreams…but a learning experience. I travelled a lot in India and also stayed in a city like Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad but I consider Mumbai is the most expensive city in the country…I learnt to use public transport i.e. metro, local trains and buses (to a level started avoiding Uber and Ola)… I never dreamt to be an actor but to experience something new I am open for few auditions and hope will write my experience soon…. I would love to explore, what this beautiful city has kept for me..!!
God Bless “Mumbaikar”