As evening settles over Marine Drive, people pause between walks, quick chats, and the everyday blur of city life.
At Juhu Beach, families linger while the waves drift in. At Shivaji Park in Dadar, joggers loop past while children chase a ball. In these everyday places, Mumbaikars spoke about the city they live in and the city they hope to see. They spoke of transport, clean air, public spaces, safety, and dignity. Each voice carried a simple truth. Mumbai belongs to its people, and they want a future that reflects that.
Those street-side moments became the spark for a vox pop video we crafted for Colaba Conversation 2021.
The Larger Context
The Observer Research Foundation, based in New Delhi, is an international think tank working on policy and governance. Back in February 2021, ORF and the Maharashtra government launched Colaba Conversation to spark talks on global and national policies shaping Mumbai.
As part of this effort, ORF asked for a short vox pop video that would carry what residents really want for their city. The objective was to bring these voices straight to key decision makers and use the film to kick off deeper conversations around urban development and quality of life.
Our Creative Intention
At Simit Bhagat Studios, we set out to keep the film honest, open, and grounded in lived experience. We wanted the film to feel like a real chat, not a lecture. So, our aim was to let people speak in their words and let their worries, hopes, and ideas set the pace.
Our aim was to let people speak in their words and let their worries, hopes, and ideas set the pace.
We wanted to show Mumbai not as a postcard, but as a city truly shaped by countless daily lives and everyday realities.
Shaping the Vox Populi Video
Our team visited familiar public spaces across the city, including Marine Drive, Juhu, and Shivaji Park in Dadar. We spoke with people from varied backgrounds using simple, direct questions that encouraged reflection and dialogue about city life.
The video was designed to be under five minutes so it would remain sharp and engaging. Candid responses, set against familiar backdrops, added both authenticity and energy to the film. The resulting narrative feels immediate and real, letting policymakers hear the city in its own voice.
What This Project Showed Us
By gathering voices across neighbourhoods and backgrounds, the film revealed how deeply people care about the future of their city. When the video was showcased at Colaba Conversation 2021, it helped spark discussions around urban policy, development priorities, and quality of life for Mumbaikars.
The project reminded us how powerful it is when public opinion is carried not by data alone, but by real human voices.
If you would like to capture public voices, shape dialogue, or bring civic stories to life through film, reach out to us. We would love to help you build a visual narrative that starts meaningful conversations and leads to real change.
Client: Observer Research Foundation
Discipline: Film and Photography
Direction and Editing: Simit Bhagat
