Question

Why was Bombay a city of dreams for some, while a city of hardship for others? Explain.

Answer 1

i) Film industry: Bombay film industry had contributed in a big way to produce an age- of City as a blend of dream and reality. It had become India's film capital and provided employment to 5,20,000 people. Most of the people in the film industry were themselves migrants and became successful.

ii) Employment: Bombay was one of the most important industrial towns of India providing employment to skilled and unskilled workers. It also provided employment to women workers.

iii) Spacious bungalows: Film producers, heroes, and industrialists live in sprawling spacious bungalows which attract a large number of migrants to the city.

iv) Housing problems: Bombay was a crowded city. Only the rich Parsi, Muslim and upper caste traders and industrialists of Bombay lived in sprawling, spacious bungalows.

v) Class division: People who belonged to the 'depressed classes' found it even more difficult to find housing. Lower castes were kept out of many chawls.