28, Journalist

A secret you discovered about Mumbai?

I was sure I won’t be able to play my favourite sport, basketball, in Mumbai. And I discovered a playground near Pali Naka, five minutes from my flat. That’s my secret place in Bandra that few people know.

An Indian product or service you can’t do without?

I am addicted to deliveries. This service is not so developed in France. Here, you can even have everything delivered, even a beer or a pack of cigarettes.

Any fashion tips

I’m fascinated by traditional clothes such as saris, kurtas and sherwanis. Common people, sometimes very poor, can seem elegant in these traditional clothes. However, I’m not impressed by the top fashion brands in Bombay.

Dared to try street food?

I tend to avoid street food with meat. I’ve been sick after eating in some very famous place and never after eating samosas in the street. And of course, I like having a chai or pineapple juice in the trains.

A phrase you’re bound to hear?

Two sentences that I hear almost every day; while shopping in markets, I tend to hear, “Very cheap price, sir.” And, of course, the traditional sentence for a foreigner with an accent in English, “Where are you from?”

Your road experiences?

I love auto rickshaws. The way they drive, the crazy traffic, this huge organised chaos. I also find trains in Mumbai impressive. The density is an extreme experience for a western guy.

What is sexy about Mumbai?

Colours, definitely colours. I also find the deep look of Indian women’s eyes very sexy. The way they move on the terrible streets, their natural grace.

Have you been conned yet?

Bargaining with rickshaw drivers is a game but never ends like a rip-off. They always try to explain to me new rules or that they don’t have their night cards, but most of the time, they’re nice.

Truly, madly, deeply, Mumbai...

I could compare Mumbai with Gotham City. It just feels like a gigantic cold monster, full of colours, violent, noisy, polluted. But at the end, terribly poetic.

What are the similarities or differences between Mumbai and your hometown?

I come from Paris, France. In Paris, we don’t have as many streets dogs or strong smells. You can read everything about Mumbai but you will always be impressed by the smell when you arrive here. One big difference also, is the terrible lack of museums and galleries that you can find anywhere in Paris.

Mumbai, the cultural capital?