Neighbourhood Video Project: Saloon Culture in Public Spaces, Girangaon 1
Duration: 00:16:30; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 40.080; Saturation: 0.096; Lightness: 0.271; Volume: 0.095; Cuts per Minute: 12.236; Words per Minute: 31.800
Summary: Girangaon, which translates as the village of mills, first began to take shape in the 19th century. Girangoan stretches over thousand acres from Byculla to Dadar and from Mahalaxmi to Elphinstone Road. Throughout its history it has been known to have witnessed extensive industrial action and frequent strikes. Most of the workers in these mills were migrants (about 84 % in 1921) who came to the city to work and often returned to their village in old age, in periods of sickness or unemployment and, of course, each year to help with the harvest. There are over 53 mills within Girangoan, most of them shut down.
Although Girangoan has traditionally been a working-class district, the prices of real estate have soared over the past decade and the chances of further 'developing' overcrowded and expensive South Bombay – the business district – diminished. Hence, Bombay's most powerful builder lobby turned towards this area.
In 2004 Majlis in conjunction with The Girangaon Rozgar Hakk Samiti organized filmmaking workshops with young students from Girangoan. The idea was to facilitate an exploration of the neighbourhood through filmmaking. Two groups were formed and each group chose their area of interest: one made a film on Bharatmata Cinema, the other a film on local men's saloons and hair-dressers titled Kato Magar Pyar se. It is a short and fun film for which they seem to have to interviewed well established saloons as well as street hair-dressers. Among them are citizens from various backgrounds, some playful and spirited others less so. This is an interview with one of them.
Lower Parel, Mumbai
We see a little school going girl getting a hair-cut at a men's salon. She doesn't appear to be accompanied by her mother. Perhaps her father has brought her to his local saloon. She appears a little timid as she peers from the hair-dresser to the mirror.
girl
hair-dresser
men's salon
As the camera zooms out we have a wider shot of the saloon and we notice several customers at this busy and thriving saloon. The board outside announces the name of the saloon as Sri Sai hair-dressers. It doesn't not have a door, rather a raised shutter which fulfils the function. The saloon which opens out to the busy street and at its threshold is one man who is reading the newspaper another who is using the PCO. Among the ambiance shots we can see a small temple high up, quite close to the ceiling with small idols.
Lower Parel, Mumbai
busy
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customers
small temple
street
traffic
working class
Lower Parel, Mumbai
There are several ambiance shots of the saloon. There is a framed price chart in Marathi hanging on the wall with an image of Sai Baba pasted on either side. The counter is stacked with usual paraphernalia brushes, powder puffs, hair-dryers and water sprayers. There is a clock with an image of Krishna on its dial hung above a music system and a shelf below with music cassettes neatly stacked.
assortment
marathi
religious iconography
Lower Parel, Mumbai
Street performer. Service road. Traffic.
I: We will ask you a few questions and you to answer. Can we talk in Marathi?
Respondent: Yes, we can talk in Marathi.
I: What is your name?
Respondent: Arjun Sadhe Gowli.
I: Do you live in Mumbai?
Respondent: Yes, I live in Mumbai.
I: Where?
Respondent: Sarang building, first floor, ___ road, Lower Parel.
I: Where is your village?
Respondent: My village is Sangli. Veeta Sangli.
I: How long have you been in Mumbai?
Respondent: I was born here. I spent my childhood here.
I: How long has it been?
Respondent: 42 years.
I: And how long have you been in this business?
Respondent: 30 years.
I: Have you been troubled here?
R: No, no such thing. No worries.
I: How did you come to have this place/property here?
R: We already had this place.
I: You already did?
R: Yes, already.
I: Did you receive any special training in this profession, in hair cutting?
R: No, no such thing.
I: Did you receive any training in hair cutting?
R: No, no we just learnt by watching each other.
I: How much do you earn on a daily basis?
R: On a daily basis we earn about Rs. 1,200, Rs. 1,300
I: How many customers do you have in a day?
R: It's difficult to say really. Sometimes its about 200-250, 100 or about 150.
I: What is the impact of inflation on your customers? There are price hikes in hair-cutting, shaving?
R: No, not really. It doesn't have too much of an impact on our customers because we increase our rates as per inflation.
Lower Parel, Mumbai
This respondent in this interview, Arjun Sadhe Gowli tells a little bit about himself. His family seems to have always owned the place where he runs his saloon. Both his house and work place are located in Lower Parel. During the interview he seems a little hassled and his responses do not seem to be engaging or animated. But he also seems to indicate that inflation wouldn't hit him hard.
impassive
inflation
informal training
lower parel
mumbai
unanimated
Lower Parel, Mumbai
Gowli does not appear to experiment with newer hair styles or watch films for tips. That also is probably in keeping with his customers' profiles, who come for a simple, standard trim. He doesn't share any anecdotes with the interviewer or complain on any account, be it about competitors on the street who charge less or the lack of specific government schemes.
I: What sort of a relationship do you share with your customers?
R: It is a relationship of mutual amity.
I: You have various clients coming to you for hair-cuts; do you suggest hair-styles to them?
R: It depends. Everyone has their own preferences and we cut accordingly.
I: Do you copy hair-cuts off from films?
R: No, no we don't copy hair-cuts from films we just trim them as per the customers' preference.
I: So, if a client comes to during festivities you to cut their hair according to films.
R: Yes, yes we cut it according to the customers' preference.
I: and do you ever make mistakes?
R: No, no we don't make mistakes. If we did the customers wouldn't return to us.
I: Do you have any special customers?
R: Yes, yes.
I: In all your years have you had any good or bad experiences?
R: No, no such thing. We've been learning since we little and how fortunately we have good employees who do their work well, with panache.
I: Does this salon have any specialty? Any massages?
R: Yeah yeah, we do have massages but we cater according to our area.
I: How do you pay your employees? Is by fixed rate?
R: Yes, yes. Fixed rate.
I: When the Government announces any special schemes or packages are you aware of any that apply to you?
R: No, I'm not aware.
I: Do you think or feel that there should be any special schemes?
R: No, I don't have any such expectations.
I: What do you think of street barbers who probably charge less than you per hair-cut, per shave?
R: Yes, they charge less.
I: So does that affect your business?
R: Yes, it does.
I: Are you happy with your business?
R: Yes.
complacent
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Lower Parel, Mumbai
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