Maximum City

Title : Maximum City , Bombay lost & found
Author : Suketu Mehta

What can be there in any city that the city gets adorned with an adjective "maximum" ? What's that feature which is making a city--the city of Mumbai stand tall among the rest of the Indian cities? The author tries to unravel through the various mysteries and aspects which shroud people's minds. He tries to unfold and present the heart and mind of Mumbai and this he does by actually being a part of everything. He mixes up with the people, lives among them,move with them, works with them,assists them and cares for them. Hence, the book is more of a first-hand encounter with the city rather a mere account of the various worthless incomprehensible facts and figures.

The author has tried to delve into all the possible facets that Mumbai can have. From the dark worlds of crime and dons, the author meanders to the religious and sacrificing semi-world that exist side by side. A vivid and apparently true account of the cops,bar dancers which serenade the night-life of Bangalore is worth applauding.

Most of the book sheds light over many new things but it has indeed helped me understand the Rent Act and the Mumbai Riots of 1992 in the most original way , as if the entire history is being replayed in front of me. He uses beautful epxressions,allegories and imagery to create this effect.


In his venture of exploring the morbid and hushed history of the city, they way Suketu mixes up with the local goons and vagabonds is quite impressive though slightly unbelievable.The trials and turbulations faced by them, the way the underworld gangs got formed, their internal and external squabbles and most importantly their overall influence on the working of the economic capital of India is quite revealing.A nice thing about all this is that he doesn't force the reader to have either a good or a bad opinion about them. He presents them as they are.

His description of an encounter specialist Ajay Lal is also interetsing though I found it a bit hard to swallow that he was one of the rare gems of India who doesn't accept bribes :) . Well , everyone wants to paint himself in good light and there is no reason why Ajay Lal should be an exception.
From one sphere of sadness which was external , he deviates to another sphere of sadness in Mumbai which is although quite beautiful externally. He permeates into the life of a beautiful and sexy bar dancer-Monalisa , someone who has the looks that can give a run for money to any of the leading Bollywood actresses these days. Her external physical beauty is contrasted with her immense inner grimness that has even forced her to attempt suicide.One can't miss this section for sure !!

And how come is it possible that Bollywood is missed when everything else is being taken into account? Needless to say, Suketu ventures into film-making ,although informally, with Vidhu Vinod Chopra for his film on Pakistan-Mission Kashmir.

Overall, the book was quite awe-inspiring and a valuable source of knowledge