Writer Varsha Adalja with her 1995 Sahitya Akademi Award for her work Ansaar, with next door neighbour Savita Malkani holding a photograph of her in-laws. Malkani-s mother-in-law Shami came to Gul Bahar building during Partition as a young widow at the age of 32 with five children to bring up. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Night or day, it-s an interesting exit. Emerging from any Metro movie brings you out on Bombay-s most obviously christened side street. Cinema Road lies behind the Art Deco theatre Metro Goldwyn Mayer opened with Broadway Melody on June 8, 1938. Metro-s publicity boasting, "Every seat a cool retreat", MGM-s lion roared lustily in the hall that American architect Thomas Lamb completed with local firm Ditchburn, Mistri and Bhedwar. Tina Sutaria, daughter of one-time partner Minoo Mistri, says, "One night, the manager Edward Alva phoned during a 9.30 pm show. A lobby chandelier had partly detached from the ceiling. Fearing for the audience, Dad rushed to cordon the space, bringing chairs up and down stairs. Metro was immensely personal for him. He spent weeks sourcing Italian marble to match the rest of the theatre when a front restaurant was introduced."