A day in the life of Lajja Shah. Mahalaxmi to Worli
Cinematographer: Shaina Anand
Duration: 00:17:40; Aspect Ratio: 1.778:1; Hue: 35.285; Saturation: 0.063; Lightness: 0.415; Volume: 0.107; Cuts per Minute: 43.865; Words per Minute: 26.772
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 from Dadar station to Mahalaxmi, and then by taxi from Mahalaxmi station to Atria Mall, on Dr Annie Besant Road in Worli.
Lajja beckons to the little girl selling accessories with the other hand. The train speeds past Dadar Station. Lajja goes through the colourful plastic hair clips.
SA: Call out to her.
SA: Dadar
Little Girl:
Ek Rupaiah! (One Rupee)
L:
Yeh? (This?)
Little girl:
Panch Rupaiah (5 Rupees)
Western Railway
accessories
bisleri
bottle
dadar
first class
hair clips
ladies compartment
station
trade
train
Dadar
informal economy
little girl
commuter
travel
L:
Aur wo hair band dikao . (And show me that hair band.)
Little girl:
Yeh dek.
L:
Kitne ka hai? (how much is it?)
Little Girl:
Dus Rupaiah. (10 Rupees)
L:
Dus Rupaiah. (10 Rupees).
Dekao ek hairband. Doosra dekao. (Show me another one.)
Lajja picks one black plastic clip, one black metal zig-zag toothed hair band and asks the little girl what other kinds of hair bands she has. So far, the maximum price quoted by the little girl - 10 Rupees.
selling
hair band
rupee
Lajja tries on another similar black hair band.
Little girl: (Demonstrating)
Eisi nikaal. (remove like this)
L:
Yeh kitne ka? (how much is it?)
Dus Rupaiah?(10 Rupees)
Little girl nods.
L:
Accha yeh do. (Alright, give me this one.)
Elphinstone Road
Lajja pays the little girl 10 Rupees for her purchase. The little girl gets off at Elphinstone station.
SA: It hurts the head or it is comfy.
L: No, it's comfy... keeps the hair off your face.
Little girl:
Chahiye?
L: Umm?
Little girl:
Chahiye
L:
Nahin thank you.
accessories
elphinstone
hair band
informal economy
little girl
station
Parel
Train passes mill. Another train passes by from the opposite direction
mill
parel
train
Women waiting to get off at Lower Parel station
ladies compartment
Lower Parel
lower parel
Train stops at Lower Parel station. Clock reads 1.55 pm. Electronic display says 1.47 and that the train is a slow coach (S) to Churchgate (C).Train leaves station. Lajja is seen hanging out of the compartment in front.
SA: Laj stick out
churchgate
clock
display
electronic
slow
station
Lajja hanging out of First Class Ladies Compartment. Shot of small patches of cultivation. The train enters Mahalaxmi station on platform 3. Lajja gets off the train.
cultivation
ladies compartment
patches
Mahalaxmi
mahalaxmi
Lajja walks up the stairs in Mahalaxmi station
SA: Lajja where are you? I lost you. Lajja stop.
staircase
Lajja runs up the stairs in Mahalaxmi station and out onto the road. A red and white striped cement mixer with Ashoka RMC, AEL is visible. She crosses the road onto Mahalaxmi race course side to catch a taxi.
SA: Run if you want. Hold on there if you want. Hold on there for a sec.
cement mixer
race course
taxi
Lajja gets into a taxi.
SA: Got your cab? He's agreed? Get in.
cab
drive
ride
road
In the taxi, Lajja speaks with Riddhima Arora (RA)
L: ...Xaviers as well ? So was I.
RA: Oh really?
L: I passed out in 2001. Film and TV production.
bmm
communication
film
media
production
tv
xaviers
Dr E Moses Road
Passing by Famous studio.
famous studio
dr e moses road
RA: I spent 4 months
L: yeah. Yeah. I wish I could stay a whole 6 weeks. That was my plan in the beginning.
SA: Now, look out of the window slowly.
L: (talking into mobile phone). I'm going to Promod to pick up clothes for you. Ha, say na? OK, I'll definitely come before that. 4 o'clock.
clothing
promod
store
clothes
stylist
L: (on phone) Oh for tonight... OK, OK. What time is that event starting? Why so early? Oh OK. So, what's the time right now? It's 2 huh. I'll try, I'll probably make JUST by 4 o'clock. Is that OK? I'll try and come as soon as I can, but I doubt.
event
schedule
Driving through traffic on Dr E Moses Road
road
I'll have to drop in at your house then. Is anybody going to be home? So tomorrow morning I'll give it to you. I'm staying in Bandra only. I'm staying back tonight. But you want me to see that outfit? No. That green backup. I'll try and come as soon as I can. Because I'm just reaching Promod to pick up stuff for you and I haven't eaten lunch, so...in Atria Mall, Worli.
Bandra
Worli
atria mall
backup
bandra
outfit
promod
worli
Yeah! (Laughing) Because I thought I'd just get some nice clothes for once. (Laughing). Are you MAD? We look sexy... every time.
OK I'll call you...bye.
clothes
sex appeal
Dr E Moses Road
On Dr E Moses, at a junction which leads to Tulsi Pipe Road and Worli Naka, the timer at the traffic signal
counter
road
timer
traffic signal
traffic
On Dr E Moses, a tall building in the background at the junction leading to Worli Naka and Tulsi Pipe Road. MCGM (Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai) Road works in progress.
Dr E Moses
MCGM
cab
mcgm
progress
roadwork
taxi
work
At the junction, a traffic policeman directs traffic.
direct
junction
policeman
In the taxi again
L: You need to come in the backseat. (Looking out of taxi window) I don't know what THAT is.
cab
taxi
SA: ... going to Atria Mall.
RA: Are we going for lunch there.
(garbled). Not immediately. We'll get a light bite to eat.
(garbled)
The divider on the road has some greenery and a yellow Lokhandwala Builders board advertisement
advertisement
divider
lokhandwala builders
L: (Looking out of the taxi window and smiling) Spider Man! Geeta Cinema.
Kashmakash (Inner conflict)
SA: You've seen that Spider Man at Shopper's Stop.
L: No. What is it?
SA: Hanging
ulta (upside down) from a wall.
L: Oh GOD! No. We've taken a really long route I think.
SA: No, no. We are fine.
bollywood
chain
department
film
geeta cinema
hollywood
kashmakash
movie
retail
shopper's stop
spiderman
store
Some taxi drivers talk adding more confusion. Impatient drivers honk boisterously as the free left turn outside the petrol bunk is bottle necked with parked taxis on the curb. Commuters squeeze through.
Lotus
Worli Naka
cab
congestion
curb
driver
honk
lotus
park
taxi
traffic
worli naka
More traffic squeezes through.
Traffic starts, A bust of B R Ambedkar is visible at the start of Dr Annie Besant road, just in front of the petrol bunk. Red BEST bus pulls out from the stop and cuts straight onto the fast, right lane.
b r ambedkar
best
bus
bust
ghus
lane
statue
taxi
Dr Annie Besant road
dr annie besant road
_Worli
Extreme close up of the meter on the taxi which reads 1.60 (Rs 21) and then turns 1.70
meter
reading
Driving past one end of the Worli flyover. Stop at traffic light.
light
flyover
traffic
worli
Driving past Worli flyover
Driving past the end of Worli flyover that touches the main road opposite Atria Millenium Mall. Taxi stops at curb.
atria millenium mall
Lajja pays the taxi driver, gets out and walks towards Atria Mall. Poonam Chambers in the background. The giant upside down Spider Man is visible.
Name boards of stores in Atria Mall: Navnit Motors, GFO, ... in vogue, Mango,
chamber
gfo
mango
navnit motors
poonam
spider man
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