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By:

Bharati Dubey

17 May 2026 at 7:08:10 am

Ganpati Bappa and the Movies

How Mumbai’s studios and streets celebrated cinema Mumbai: Mumbai’s Ganesh Utsav has always been more than a religious celebration. For generations, it has also intersected with the city’s other great passion-cinema. Long before photographs of stars welcoming Ganpati Bappa at home became an annual fixture on television and social media, the festival had a presence inside Mumbai’s film studios. Beyond the studio gates, Ganesh mandals were also bringing movies directly to neighbourhood...

Ganpati Bappa and the Movies

How Mumbai’s studios and streets celebrated cinema Mumbai: Mumbai’s Ganesh Utsav has always been more than a religious celebration. For generations, it has also intersected with the city’s other great passion-cinema. Long before photographs of stars welcoming Ganpati Bappa at home became an annual fixture on television and social media, the festival had a presence inside Mumbai’s film studios. Beyond the studio gates, Ganesh mandals were also bringing movies directly to neighbourhood audiences by turning ordinary streets into makeshift theatres. Veteran film journalist and analyst Dilip Thakur, who grew up in Girgaon and has observed Mumbai’s film culture over several decades, remembers both worlds. “Ganesh Utsav and cinema have had a very old relationship in Mumbai. It wasn’t only about film stars bringing Ganpati home. The studios, the workers and even the neighbourhood mandals were all part of this culture,” says Thakur. Ganpati Tradition Thakur points to V. Shantaram’s Rajkamal Studio while recalling the early relationship between Mumbai’s studios and Ganesh Utsav. The tradition, he says, can be linked to the period of Navrang, when an elaborate set involving a Ganesh idol and elephants was created at the studio. What began in the world of filmmaking subsequently developed into an annual studio celebration. “During Navrang, a grand set was created with Ganpati and elephants. That became an inspiration for the Ganesh festival at Rajkamal Studio, and the tradition continued,” Thakur recalls. The importance of the celebration lay not merely in its association with a celebrated filmmaker. Studios of that era had large permanent communities of technicians, craftsmen and other workers, and festivals became occasions for everyone connected with the premises. “Studios in those days were like families. Actors, technicians and workers celebrated together. Ganpati was not merely a celebrity occasion—it belonged to the entire studio,” says Thakur. Entry to Devotees Raj Kapoor’s RK Studios in Chembur developed its own distinctive Ganpati tradition. The studio’s Holi celebrations became legendary in the film industry, but its Ganesh Utsav also drew people from outside the film fraternity. The Ganpati was installed close to the main studio building, and devotees could enter the premises for darshan. “People always talk about RK Studios’ Holi, but its Ganpati celebration was also very special. The idol was installed near the main building, and ordinary people could come inside the studio for darshan,” Thakur says. For a movie fan, this meant something unusual: an opportunity to enter the premises associated with Raj Kapoor and some of Hindi cinema’s most famous films while participating in a festival shared by the wider city. The immersion procession added another dimension to the tradition. Different generations of the Kapoor family participated over the years, from Raj Kapoor to Randhir Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor, and later Ranbir Kapoor. The procession travelled from Chembur towards Girgaon Chowpatty, passing through parts of central Mumbai along the way. As round-the-clock television news expanded, cameras increasingly followed the Kapoor family and the procession. “The procession would travel from Chembur towards Girgaon Chowpatty through areas such as Kurla and Sion. Once television news channels began covering it extensively, the RK Ganpati visarjan became a major media event,” says Thakur. The connection survived beyond the studio’s heyday. Thakur recalls that people associated with RK Studios continued the Ganpati tradition for some time even after regular studio activity had ceased. “Even after the studio stopped functioning as before, people who had worked there continued the tradition for some time. That tells you how emotionally connected the workers were to the RK Ganpati,” he says. Mumbai Galli Thakur’s most vivid memories, however, come from outside the studios. Ganesh Utsav once provided an unusual second life for films that neighbourhood audiences had missed during their theatrical runs. During the 1960s and 1970s, local Ganesh mandals organised outdoor screenings with 16mm projectors. A screen—or sometimes simply an available wall—could transform a narrow lane into a neighbourhood movie theatre for an evening. “We called it ‘Galli Cinema’. A 16mm projector would arrive, a screen would be put up, and the entire lane would become a cinema hall,” Thakur recalls. Growing up in Girgaon, he experienced this culture first-hand. Films featuring stars such as Shammi Kapoor and Dev Anand were among those he remembers watching during Ganesh festivities in the 1970s. “I watched many films like this in the 1970s. If you had missed a movie when it was released in theatres, Ganpati celebrations sometimes gave you another opportunity to see it,” he says. There was no streaming, satellite television or instant access to a vast film library. A neighbourhood screening could therefore become an event in itself, attracting families, children and film enthusiasts from surrounding buildings. “There was a different joy in watching a film with the entire neighbourhood. Ganpati brought everyone together, and cinema became part of that celebration,” Thakur says. It was entertainment, but it was also a form of community movie-going that belonged to a particular period in Mumbai’s cultural history. Stars Power As the film industry changed, so did the visibility of its Ganesh celebrations. Home Ganpatis hosted by stars increasingly attracted media attention. Madhuri Dixit, Shilpa Shetty, Salman Khan and Sonali Bendre are among the film personalities whose celebrations became familiar to audiences. Thakur also sees the growth of television as an important turning point. As Mumbai’s entertainment industry became broader and more diverse, Ganesh Utsav was embraced by artists from different backgrounds. “Earlier, you saw the tradition particularly among Maharashtrian artists and film workers. Later, as the industry expanded—and especially with the growth of television—artists from many different backgrounds began bringing Ganpati home,” he observes. Television brought cameras into celebrations that once remained largely private. Social media pushed that transformation further, making celebrity Ganpati arrivals, pujas and immersions instantly accessible to fans. Pull of Girgaon Some film personalities, however, have a relationship with the festival that predates stardom. Thakur points to veteran actor Jeetendra and his enduring association with Girgaon, where the actor spent his early years. “Jeetendra has never forgotten his Girgaon connection. On the first day of Ganesh Utsav, he has continued to visit the area and seek Bappa’s blessings. That relationship goes back to his early years,” says Thakur. For him, such connections are significant because they reveal how a festival can link a star back to the neighbourhood and community that existed before fame. “It is not always about publicity. For many artists, there is a personal memory attached to Ganpati—the building they lived in, the mandal they knew or the neighbourhood where people watched their films,” he says. Khetwadi’s Culture Filmmaker Manmohan Desai was similarly surrounded by the sights and sounds of Ganesh Utsav. His association with the Khetwadi-Bhatkar Street neighbourhood placed him close to an area renowned for elaborate public Ganpati celebrations. “Manmohan Desai lived in an area where Ganpati celebrations were everywhere around him. Khetwadi had that energy—the crowds, decorations and huge pandals. He was also a devotee who would visit Lalbaugcha Raja,” Thakur recalls. The scale, colour and crowds of Mumbai’s public celebrations were part of the cultural environment in which filmmakers lived and worked. It was only natural that some of that energy would eventually make its way onto the screen. Silver Screen Hindi cinema has repeatedly turned to Ganesh Utsav for music, drama and spectacle. “Deva Ho Deva Ganpati Deva” from Humse Badhkar Kaun became one of the songs closely identified with Ganesh celebrations, while “Deva Shree Ganesha” from Agneepath gave a later generation a powerful cinematic Ganpati anthem. “Cinema takes from society, and Ganesh Utsav is such a strong part of Mumbai that it naturally entered our films,” says Thakur. Much of the world he remembers has changed. The 16mm projectors no longer routinely turn Mumbai’s lanes into movie theatres. The old studio system has faded, some historic studios have disappeared, and celebrity celebrations now reach audiences instantly through phones. But the larger relationship between Mumbai, movies and Ganpati Bappa has endured. “From Rajkamal and RK Studios to the gallis of Girgaon, Ganpati and cinema have travelled together for generations,” Thakur says. “The way we watch films has changed and the way stars celebrate has changed, but Mumbai’s emotional connection with Ganpati Bappa has not.”

Accused a suspected history-sheeter

Quaid Najmi
Jan 17, 2025
6 min read
Saif Ali Khan
Saif Ali Khan

Mumbai: Police sources said that the accused in the Saif Ali Khan attack case is a history-sheeter with several cases of theft and burglaries, he had reportedly carried out a recce of the Khan home before the operation and knew exactly where and how to proceed, dodging security and cameras.

The teams which included former encounter specialist Daya Nayak and others reached the Khan home, scoured the CCTVs in the building and the vicinity, detained at least three staffers and questioned one of the woman helpers for over four hours.


The murderous attack on Saif, 54, who is married to Kareena Kapoor, and is the current titular head of the Kingdom of Pataudi (in modern day Haryana), sparked angry reactions from top Bollywood and political personalities who slammed the government over the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the city.


Hailing from a royal lineage, Saif is the son of famed ex-Bollywood heartthrob Sharmila Tagore-Khan and the legendary cricketer Nawab Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi of the erstwhile princely state of Pataudi, who holds the record for being the youngest Captain of Team India (1962), when he was just 21 years old.


Khan’s domestic help, who raised alarm first, also sustained a minor injury to her hand during the scuffle. She later lodged a police complaint.

Opposition leaders said even celebrities were not safe in India's financial capital, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, has failed to maintain law and order. Fadnavis, however, said the attack was a serious incident, but it would be wrong to call Mumbai unsafe because of it, and the police were taking action in the matter.


As per the preliminary probe, the intruder did not force his entry or break into the actor's flat, but possibly sneaked in at some point during the night.


Khan's domestic staff took him to Lilavati Hospital in an auto rickshaw after the incident. He was operated upon by a team of doctors led by neurosurgeon Dr Nitin Dange, cosmetic surgeon Dr Leena Jain and anaesthesiologist Dr Nisha Gandhi. “Saif sustained a major injury to his thoracic spine due to a knife. Surgery was performed to remove the knife and also to repair the leaking spinal fluid, said Dr Dange. “There were two other deep wounds in his left hand and right side of the neck which were repaired by the plastic surgery team.


Talking to reporters, Chief Minister Fadnavis asserted that Mumbai is a safe city. "I think Mumbai is the safest among mega cities in the country. It is true that some incidents take place sometimes, and they must be taken seriously. But to say that Mumbai is unsafe due to such incidents is not right," he said. "....But, to make the city safer, the government will certainly make efforts," he added.


NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said the incident shows that the law-and-order situation was deteriorating in Maharashtra

.

"Recently, a person was killed in the same area and now this incident. All these things are worrisome," Pawar told reporters at Baramati. "The state government, especially the chief minister who holds charge of the home department, should pay attention to these things more seriously," the former Maharashtra chief minister said.


In October last year, former state minister Baba Siddique was shot dead by three persons in Bandra area.


Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, "No one is safe. Let alone ordinary people, even celebrities who have their own security are not safe."

Fadnavis had completely failed to maintain law and order, said Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe.


Prominent politicians including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and Chiranjeevi, expressed shock over the attack on Saif Ali Khan.


"It's very concerning to hear about the attack on noted actor Saif Ali Khan. I pray for his speedy recovery, trusting that the law will take its course and those responsible will be held accountable. My thoughts and prayers are with Sharmila Di, Kareena Kapoor, and the entire family during this difficult time," Banerjee posted on X.


Kejriwal said, "Shocked to hear about the attack on Saif Ali Khan. Wishing him a speedy recovery and strength to his family during this difficult time."


Proud of you brother: Saba Pataudi

Jewellery designer Saba Pataudi on Thursday reacted to the knife attack on Saif Ali Khan and said she is in "shock" but proud of her elder brother for the way he defended his family from an intruder. "I'm in shock and reeling from this insane incident but proud of you bhaijaan. Taking care of the family and standing tall would make Abba so proud. I am. Get well soon. Missing being there. Will see you soon. Duas and prayers always," Saba said in a post on Instagram where she also shared a childhood photo with Saif. Saba, 49, is the middle child of actor Sharmila Tagore and the late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. Her younger sister is actor Soha Ali Khan.


Intruder took stairs to escape, visuals traced on sixth floor

CCTV visuals of the unidentified intruder who repeatedly stabbed actor Saif Ali Khan inside his apartment in Mumbai's Bandra area early Thursday morning have been traced on the sixth floor of the building, police sources said. The star lives on the 12th floor of Satguru Sharan apartments. As per the sources, the intruder used the staircase to escape after the attack. Khan's domestic help, who raised initial alarm after the incident that took place around 2.30 am, lodged a police complaint for trespassing and attempt to murder, the sources added. A police official said that as per initial information, an unidentified person entered Saif Ali Khan's house and both of them had a scuffle. Some family members of the actor were present in the house at the time of the incident, he said.


Opposition trying to politicise attack: Minister

Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam on Thursday said the opposition was trying to politicise the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, and claimed a wrong angle was being given to the case because of the actor's surname.


The incident was a "theft attempt", and the culprit has been identified and will be nabbed soon, Kadam told a TV channel. Mumbai is a safe place, the minister asserted, and claimed the opposition was trying to malign the police. Kadam said there was no need to link the attack on Saif Ali Khan to former state minister Baba Siddique's murder and threats issued to actor Salman Khan. "The intruder has been identified and will be nabbed soon," he said and claimed that because of the actor's Khan surname, a wrong angle was being given to the case.


"The opposition only wants to politicise the incident. Mumbai is safe and the opposition is maligning the police," he added. NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad claimed the kind of injuries sustained by Saif Ali Khan shows the attacker wanted to kill him.


Celebrities 'shocked'

Jr NTR and Chiranjeevi were among those shocked by the attack on Saif Ali Khan at his home in Mumbai with several people, including Pooja Bhatt, questioning lawlessness in the city and saying she has never felt so unsafe.

The actor, who was injured after the intruder attacked him with a knife at around 2.30 am on Thursday at his Bandra home, was hospitalised and underwent surgery.


Jr NTR, who recently shared screen space with Saif in Telugu hit "Devara", posted on X, "Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health."


Chiranjeevi wrote, "Deeply Disturbed by news of the attack by an intruder on #SaifAliKhan. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery."


Actor and BJP MP Ravi Kishan, who worked with Saif on films such as "Agent Vinod" and "Bullet Raja", said the incident is saddening.


"He's my friend and co-actor... Government and police administration is working to nab the culprits. The culprit will be caught soon, Mumbai police has a good reputation. He'll be given strict punishment. Security of actors should be given importance. I pray to lord that Saif recovers soon," Kishan told PTI.


Meanwhile, Bhatt tagged Mumbai Police in a post and questioned the "lawlessness" in the city, which is home to several celebrities as well as top industrialists.


A bullet-proof glass panel was recently installed outside the balcony of Salman Khan's Bandra flat. Two members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang had opened fire outside Salman's house last April.

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