My Mumbai: Shaa’ir + Func

Photo on home page: Francis Mathew.

Names: Monica Dogra Sharma (Shaa’ir), Randolph Savio Rosario Correia (Func)
Occupations: Singer, songwriter, actor, DJ (Shaa’ir); Guitarist, composer, producer, DJ (Func).
Neighbourhood: Bandra (Shaa’ir), Lokhandwala (Func)

The song that best describes Mumbai
“Ye Hai Bombay Meri Jaan”.

What’s your favourite Mumbai sound?
The string sound of the mattresswalla.

(Our new album) Mantis is a Mumbai record because…
We live, sweat, and create here.

Favourite Mumbaikar, living or dead
R. K. Laxman.

To get away from the city you…
Take speakers onto a sleeper bus with a group of friends, picnic on the bus and wake up in Goa…

Best view in the city
From my (Randolph) balcony.

Favourite restaurant
Royal China.

Favorite bar/club
Zenzi, Bandra.

The one place/thing in the city you can’t live without
Rickshaws.

The non-touristy places you’d show out-of-towners
Bombay homes; house parties; musicians jamming in a room, on gaddas, floors, counter tops…till the sun risers. That’s the movement that will be written about 20 years from now.

What do you think of Bal Thackeray?
Old politician.

What do you hate most about the city?
How paan spit is the dominant form of public urban art.

What do you love most about the city?
How quickly people leave bad things behind them.

Vada pao or bhel puri?
Vada pao.

The last time you called Mumbai Bombay
Today.

In 10 words or less, who is Shivaji?
A true Maratha after whom all other Marathas failed miserably.

Mumbai isn’t like any other city because…
Because of the vada pao I could eat under the shelter of a blooming gulmohar tree during the first rains, watching a rickshawwalla parked and sleeping inside his rickshaw refusing customers in the middle of the day.