(Dev)das Capital

If you’re walking down Chapel Road in Bandra – you really should – watch out for the freshly painted 11 by 15 foot painting of Anarkali. Visit the same spot on May 12 at 7 pm, and can watch the Bollywood classic film for free, as it is projected on the neighbouring wall. The end credits will not say ‘produced by Ranjit Dahiya and Tony Peter’, but it should.

The former, a Bollywood poster artist and the latter, an animation designer, have teamed up to start the Bollywood Art Project (B.A.P), a public art initiative to celebrate hundred years of Hindi cinema, coming up in 2013. It took five artists - helping Ranjit are Mallika Chabba, Swati Rao and Shruti Visweswaran, his juniors at the Government College of Fine Art, Chandigarh - and fourteen days to complete the Anarkali mural, painted on the wall of Noronha Stores, a neighbourhood grocery shop. Besides this canvas that volunteered, B.A.P’s thank you note includes the “residents of Chapel and Lala Road, Ravi chaiwala, Duke’s Restaurant, Jo for the ladders and Fahad Faizal for lending us his camera.”

Similar paint projects by B.A.P will continue until next year, with scenes from Bollywood classics popping up at strategic locations across the city. And where can you spot the next one? This they will reveal only after the Anarkali movie screening (we suggest you go early to catch a spot for we pre-empt chaos), which will also be followed by an interactive discussion on Indian cinema. Mister X marks the spot?

You Can Get Involved Too

B.A.P is open to collaborate with other artists, so if you’d like to add your Paradiso to their Cinema, email them with thoughts and ideas. Those who can’t colour within the lines can volunteer to spread the word, help organise resources and even “support the rickety ladder on which Ranjit stands to paint”. Rung barse!

 Getting there: Anarkali mural at Chapel Road, before Duke’s Restaurant, Bandra (W), call Mallika on 9892742563, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , view the Facebook page here, Anarkali screening on May 12 at 7 pm, free and open to all, registrations not required.

PS: Other walls that need painting - at Cafe Zoe, Lower Parel.