Why is Bandra like a coconut curry?

Annabelle Ferro's play, Like Water With Lonvaas, will use the imagery of a watered-down East Indian gravy to describe how social change and real estate demands have changed the queen of the suburbs forever

"There was a time, when if you threw a stone at a tree in Bandra, it would either fall on a Pereira or on a pig," smiles Bandra resident and amateur actor Neal Pires. His observation may seem a bit far fetched today, but it talks of a time when the Catholic community and its culture was synonymous with the suburb of Bandra.

Directed by Annabelle Ferro, the drama unfolds in a bungalow named Rockcel, and revolves around Robert, his two sisters, wife, daughter and aunt. "The subculture has disappeared. Over the years, the quaint cottages with their gardens and trees, have given way to concrete high-rises, and the original inhabitants from the East Indian community have moved to Canada, Australia and USA," says Ferro.

The tag of a hot property destination has made the suburb a victim of random and unplanned construction, a target for real estate dealers, robbing it of much of its quaint, quiet character. Although peppered with light-hearted moments, the play nudges the audience into pondering over some uncomfortable questions.

Ferro uses an unusual imagery, one of Lonvaas, traditional East Indian gravy. The cast of amateur actors reminisces about a time when the aroma of Lonvaas cooking in East Indian homes would draw families to the dining table. And while the thick coconut gravy would be sufficient for a family, it would invariably be watered down when unexpected guests arrived.

"That's exactly what's happened to Bandra. We've have tried accommodating people from different parts of the city, and social change and real estate demands have watered down its character. It's far from what it used to be when we were kids growing up."
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At The Hindustan Lever Park, near St Anthony's Garage, extension of St Paul's Road. On November 26, at 7.45 pm.u00a0

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