Revathy and Rituparno Ghosh

Mega metropolises have inspired poets and filmmakers down the centuries. Nearer home, Kolkata served as the muse for master directors Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen have been in some of their films like Seemabaddha, Pratidwandi, Neel Akasher Niche, Padatik, Interview, Kolkata-71, Chalchitra, Mahaprithivi and Parashuram.
Sen was, in fact, so much in love with Kolkata that in late 1980s he, seizing on the opportunity of deserted streets during a "Bangla bandh" (strike), picked up his movie camera and passionately took stock shots of the city. This correspondent had the opportunity of watching Mrinal da, in his trademark white Aligarhi pyjama and punjabi, lying on the wide street in front of the Writers' Building, the seat of administration of West Bengal state, and looking through the camera.
And now, Mumbai, the financial capital of India, has become the subject of a collage of short films made by eminent Indian filmmakers including Rituparno Ghosh, Sudhir Mishra, Jhanu Barua (Assam), actress Revathy (Kerala), Rahul Dholakia (Gujarat) and Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap.
Titled Mumbai Cutting, the film, covering varied facets of life in Mumbai --its beauty and squalor -- was screened at an Indian film festival in Los Angeles on April 27 and is slated for India release on June 1.
Mumbai's stock market, Asia's biggest slum, infamous underworld and their dons, Bollywood, dance bars, plush bungalows, the Arabian Sea and more -- all feature in separate shorts made by the directors.
Rituparno's Urge is about the magnetic pull of Mumbai as an enchantress and Mishra's The Ball starring Soha Ali Khan is about a murder that took place a decade ago. Kundan Shah's The Hero records the travails of suburban train travel in Mumbai, the communication lifeline of the metropolis and its suburbs.
A production of Sahara Motion Pictures and White Cloud companies, Mumbai Cutting also features actors Ranvir Shorey, Tejaswini Kolhapure and Ranvijay Singh.