A day in the life of Lajja Shah. Afternoon.Train to Dadar.
Topic
: Cityscape, Moving People, infrastructure, navigating the city, worker
Summary
: Lajja Shah is a freelance stylist residing in Malad E. Most days are unpredictable and are spent networking through the city. Speed, mobility and connectivity are crucial; all modes of transport are exploited. Here filmmaker Shaina Anand (SA) follows Lajja on the train from Andheri station to Dadar station, as Lajja makes her way from the suburbs of Mumbai, into town.
Road view of Andheri station.
Western Railway
Andheri
andheri
station
Mumbai
commuter
first class
ladies compartment
railway
suburb
train
Banner: Speakwell English Academy
Ticket counters - Andheri station
counter
railway
ticket
Lajja walking into ticket counters - Andheri station
SA: Go lugs
Lajja getting a ticket. A child beggar with his hand out at the counter.
SA: Lajja stop.
beggar
child
L:
Do
(Two) first class....
Lajja goes over to another counter.
L:
Do
(Two) first class.... Mahalaxmi.
Man:
Jara hamara bhi nikaal de
(Film us also)
SA: Go straight up.
Lajja continues a phone conversation till she gets to the counter
railway
Lajja drops and picks up coins.
Lajja walks up the stairs
landing
stair case
Track shot with people walking up and down the stair case.
View from landing in between flights of stairs, looking down at ticket counters.
railway
Front view of Lajja coming up the stair case.
Lajja stop.
L: Go?
SA: Yeah. Go.
Lajja walks back down to landing.
Lajja walks up second flight of stairs.
L: (on phone) No, but you guys are going to have to pay for the damages that have just. It was on the photo shoot.
Walk bridge view of railway tracks and car park.
service train
tracks
walk bridge
Lajja walking on the walk bridge.
andheri
station
train
SA: Lugs walk faster if you need to.
Track shot of Lajja walking on the walk bridge.
Lajja walking down the stairs to the platform.
platform
stair case
track
Lajja running down the stairs to catch the train.
On the train, leaving Andheri station.
first class. ladies' compartment
In the First Class Ladies' Compartment
L on the phone.
Vile Parle
Santa Cruz
People getting into the compartment at Santa Cruz station. Some school buys get on and a lady selling hair accessories
hair band
hair clips
informal
sector
santa cruz
School boys find seats close by.
Lajja on her phone
Khar Road
Khar Road stop. Begging man gets on board.
beggar
khar road
old
Bandra
School boys: Bandra's coming on this side.
bandra
school boys
Khar
Looking out from the compartment as the train approaches Bandra station.
Bandra
bandra station
Pulling into Bandra station. Electronic display informs that the time is 1.32 pm and that the train is has 9 compartments,
compartment
display
electronic
time
Leaving Bandra Station. The
chawls
,
chawls
Lajja talks over the phone and the black water of Mahim Creek are in the background. Passing Mahim.
Mahim Creek
bandra
mahim creek
L: Train approaching.
Pulling into Mahim station.
mahim station
Mahim
train
Watching as the train speeds towards Matunga Road.
station
Matunga Road
matunga road
SA: We'll get one nice angle.
Bandra
Mumbai
SA: Tell me about how often you use the train.
L: I use the train everyday. Because it's the most convenient mode of transport in Bombay, especially for long distances. So, if I'm travelling from my house, which is in the far suburbs, to somewhere beyond Bandra, then I definitely take the train. But if I'm somewhere in the vicinity of the suburbs, then I take the rickshaw because that's far more convenient. So, it depends on where I'm going. If I'm going to town, then definitely the train. Like we are going to town just now. This is half the time it would take to go by road. It's a lot more convenient, no pollution, no stress. Just reach from point A to point B in no time. And I have a First Class Pass, so I have no issues of standing in a line. So I just hop into a train and hop out whenever I want. I have a First Class Pass. I've taken a First Class Pass because of the population, the amount of people who travel in First Class is one third of what it is in the second class. So obviously it is a lot more comfortable than the second class.
amount
auto
bandra
convenient
long distance
mode
pollution
population
railway pass
rickshaw
road
stress
suburb
town
transport
travel
use
Dadar
comfortable
first class
second class
