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  Amitabh Bachchan at the St+art Mumbai Festival!
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  Amitabh Bachchan at the St+art Mumbai Festival!

November 2014 saw 20 Indian and International artists take to the streets of Mumbai, in Bandra, Dharavi, Pedder Road, Borivali and Kandivali with an objective to educate and create awareness about this niche form of art. Over the month St+art Mumbai accomplished just this! The festival closes on a high, with a120x150 foot mural of Dadasaheb Phalke; the father of Indian cinema, on the prominent MTNL Building at Bandra Reclamation. The mural was unveiled by none other than Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan. In attendance was also Mr.Piyush Pandey (Executive Chairman & Creative Director for Ogilvy & Mather India and South Asia).

The founders of the St+art India Foundation,  Arjun Bahl (Festival Director), Hanif Kureshi (Creative Director), Akshat Nauriyal (Content Director), Giulia Ambrogi (Curator) and Thanish Thomas (Project Manager) ensured that the festival closing was a memorable and iconic moment for the city of Mumbai. Bollywood is an integral part of the city's identity yet several people do not know about the origins of this cinematic art-form. This mural is a tribute to the man who sowed the seeds for the industry which the city thrives on today and one which has put India on a the global map.  

Dadasaheb Phalkewas an Indian producer-director-screenwriter; starting with his debut film, Raja Harishchandra in 1913 and 101 years later the city of Mumbai still feels this very influence. “The Bollywood industry is one of the largest film industries in the world today, but only few know about Dadasaheb Phalke. It is important that young generation values Phalke's efforts  and see him in this new avatar,” says Hanif Kureshi, Creative Director of St+art Mumbai.

Ranjit Dahiya, founder of the Bollywood Art Project (BAP) was the perfect artist for this mural, he shares “The MTNL building is an iconic structure considering it is right off the western express highway and sea link and visible to everyone that passes by. As soon as the St+art India Foundation gave me the opportunity to work on this building I was ecstatic. Keeping Mumbai and its love for the film industry in mind, the one individual that I instantly thought of was Dadasaheb Phalke- the father of Indian cinema, who truly deserved the most prominent mural.” 

“In today’s times the landscape of every city is looking monotonous and boring. It is heartening to see that some people are making efforts to bring some aesthetics to our lives. I'm delighted that of the many such projects there is one dedicated to Dadasaheb Phalke - The father of Indian Cinema. I salute the artist Ranjit Dahiya and the entire St+art team. It is only befitting that Mr. Amitabh Bachchan has kindly accepted to inaugurate this work of art,” says Piyush Pandey .

St+art Mumbai is an initiative by the St+art India Foundation, a non-profit organization, founded by Arjun Bahl, Hanif Kureshi, Akshat Nauriyal, Thanish Thomas and Giulia Ambrogi. This was the foundations second such initiative, after the first successful run of St+art Delhi earlier this year. They believe in working together with Central & State Governments as well as International bodies to build and encourage artists from our country. One of the core aspects of the festival is to spread awareness, educate and act as a platform for artists, both Indian and International, to exchange their ideas, cultures, experiences and styles of street art that lead to a positive change. It aims to establish a skill enhancement centre for the educational and vocational training in art related topic and various art mediums. 

“St+art India Foundation's vision is to change the urban landscape of India by making it more colourful, interactive and positive. Earlier this year, St+art India Foundation took baby steps in Delhi and today with the inauguration of the iconic Dadasaheb Phakle's mural by the legend himself, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan our foundation's vision has been re-emphasised. We are keen to work with the central and state governments to be part of this global movement,” adds Arjun Bahl, Festival Director for St+art Mumbai.


- Dharmishtha Dagia