It would not be an exaggeration to say that Mumbai is a melting pot of reflections — a result of perspectives, scrutiny and incessant internalisation of a city that changes face every passing minute. The subjective familiarity of the city has been captured time and again, and its forms are endless. A news photographer for over 40 years, Chandu Mhatre decided to pick out select pictures of a "transitioning urban Mumbai” that he has been chronicling over about 12 years
These images were on display at an exhibition “Urban Reflections”, which concluded recently at the Arpana Cour Gallery in the Academy of Fine Arts and Literature.
Mumbai has been on a downward spiral as a result of ‘developmental’ urbanisation. Mhatre’s photographs are metaphorical as well as literal reflections of cement, traffic, hoardings, walks, water, and conversations as seen on mirrored walls, windows, and doors. Quite a few of them feature malls and have resulted from spotting interesting symbols of an urban landscape.
“But it has become very difficult to take cameras into malls now,” he confesses. “The security has become tight after 9/11.” Yet another interpretation of the city shows contorted reflections of browning and decaying buildings on the glassy tiles of an office skyscraper.
Reminiscing about the spontaneous stories behind these pictures, he tells of one titled “One horse power and Audi A6”, “I was waiting outside the airport one day when I spotted a horse there. Wondering what a horse was doing there got me about three shots!”
Asked about a photograph he is partial to, he points out a work of February 2008 titled “The Gateway of India”.
Seen through a sheet of trickling water, the outline of the Mumbai monument speaks volumes of a hazy city mixing colours and textures.
“This is the product of an ongoing process of shooting in Mumbai from about 2006, and I decided to do this exhibition in about 2012. "Through photo walks and workshops as part of our group Vanishing Bombay, which started in 2002, we’ve been documenting parts of the city that are vanishing. "
It comprises concerned citizens who are witnessing negative change happening right in front of their eyes.”
Mhatre engages in environmental, human, and social projects now.
“About 450 trees were cut down in the Green Belt zone in Mumbai. People had a funeral for the trees. It came very close to something like the Chipko Movement. Now, a cycling group has been motivating people to go around keeping a watch around them.
Development does not mean you don’t demolish certain things. But demolishing heritage — no! Basically, the metropolitan city is collapsing. Mumbai is collapsing,” he laments."
Over the years, Mhatre has documented many historical events. The Bhopal gas tragedy and the Punjab uprisings are some that come back to him from his years as a news photographer.
Most of his shots are born out of morning walks.
“I normally get out in the morning for a walk, and shoot for about 3 hours. My camera is always with me!,” he chuckles.
