Walk in the footsteps of Manto by visiting these iconic places in Mumbai

Main chalta phirta Bombay hoonrdquo Irsquom a walking Bombay on the move mdash Saadat Hasan Mantorsquos famously quoted line sowed a few questions in our mind Where exactly did one of the greatest writers of his time walk have they changed nearly eight decades after he left his lsquosecond homersquo for Lahore and do they still reflect glimpses of his legacy Zubair Azmi director of Urdu Markaz and founder of the Bhendi Bazaar Research Academy gives us a handy guide to Mantorsquos BombayZubair Azmi1 Arab GalliIn 1936 a young Manto in his early 20s made his way to Bombay and settled for a compact room in the chawls of Arab GalliSaadat Hasan Manto PIC COURTESYWIKIMEDIA COMMONSHere he saw the intimidating feared gangster Mammad Bhai who is later comically revealed to be a bubbly benevolent man in Mantorsquos eponymous story Mammad Bhai Manto writes about paying nine rupees and eight annas per month for the residence Renting a home in the evolving neighbourhood will set you back to the tune of Rs 40000 a month in 20262 Adelphi ChambersThe writerrsquos more recognised abode on Mirza Ghalib Road formerly Clare Road in Byculla was a more modern cosmopolitan locality It is also where Bollywood greats like Ashok Kumar and Nargis visited the writer It is said that K Asif director of the iconic MughaleAzam also came visiting once3 Nagpada GardenOn breezy evenings Manto would often walk down to the Nagpada Garden to wind down and as always observe the people around him The garden is now the Padmakar Tukaram Mane Garden known for its wall mural sculpture of poet Mirza Ghalib on its faccedilade4 Imperial Film CompanyThe poster of Kisan Kanya 1937 produced by Ardeshir IraniFor a brief period Manto worked with filmmaker Ardeshir Irani who founded the Imperial Film Company now Jyoti Studio near Grant Road railway station The first film scripted by Manto Kisan Kanya was shot in the same studio Cinephiles will know Irani and the studio for producing Indiarsquos first sound film Alam Ara 19315 Nagpada JunctionNagpada Junction with Sarvi in viewRight outside Nagpada Police Station Manto once observed a pimp Siraj leaning on an electricity pole in search of his next clientKebabs at Sarvi FILE PICIn his extensive writings on the complex lives of prostitutes and pimps the writer makes references to Siraj Not far away Mantorsquos goto for his evening chai Sarvi remembers him with the lsquoManto Tablersquo to this day6 Minerva MovietoneZubair Azmi suggests you make a detour to the lanes of Sewri where Manto worked with Sohrab Modirsquos Minerva Movietone studio Azmirsquos grandfatherinlaw Sadat Ali who was the chief production manager would recall how the writer often accompanied him home and excitedly requested ldquoMia kuch khilaiyerdquo The site of Minerva Movietone is now barren landMeet the bhaisWatch Mammad Bhairsquos story unfold onstage at actor Amit Tiwari Anandrsquos eponymous solo play The FTII alumnus will don multiple hats to recreate the residents of Arab Galli on the erstwhile South Bombay stageON January 18 530 pmAT National Gallery of Modern Art Fort LOG ON TO amittiwarianand ENTRY Registration mandatory