Kothrud lad Suyash Zunjurke has now shifted base to the City of Dreams — Mumbai. The theatre/ film actor, who has moved in with his friends to audition for work, feels that the comparisons between the two cities begin with their name. “For me, the name Pune instantly refers to a sense of ease and comfort. I associate Pune with slow and leisurely traits, while Mumbai is always in a rush. And, now it has come to mean ‘Tumbai’, a reference to how quickly the city goes under water after a heavy spell of rains,” says Zunjurke, who has acted in films like Pushpak Viman and Malal.
He is also quite surprised at how distant, far flung areas, like Palghar, have come to be understood as part of Mumbai. “Palghar is nearly 120 km away from Mumbai, almost the same distance that Pune is from the capital city of Maharashtra. I have to commute for almost two hours for work from my residence. But, at the same time, it also takes me three hours to reach Pune,” says Zunjurke.
The youngster is also puzzled by the local railway network — the lifeline of Mumbai. “It took me quite some time to figure out the difference between Harbour Line, Western and Central. The railways are operational till 2 am and the first local runs at 4 am. We (Punekars) at least sleep at night, but the Maximum City never sleeps,” he says with an awe in his voice.
Recounting his experience in the Virar local train, Zunjurke says, “Once I got into the Virar train and it was very crowded. I had to alight at Malad. My co-passengers got angry, saying, ‘If you have to get down at Malad, why did you board this train?’ and they forcibly threw me off.”
But he has learnt to bear the crosses with a grin, simply because Mumbai has a lot to offer in terms of work. “Everyone in my field has some work to do, small or big. It may or may not be in the public eye, but there is work. I haven’t been able to interact with many people because, one, people are busy. Secondly, I have no time to socialise. After working all day long, people are reluctant to step out in the evenings. The humid weather also plays a damper. In Pune, 9 pm movie shows are houseful, in Mumbai, 5 pm shows are. After that, I guess people want to head home and rest,” says Zunjurke.
On his day off, the youngster visits the famed beaches of Mumbai. “Pune would have been perfect, if it had the sea. I make the most of my stay here by visiting the seashore. I feel a sense of calm. I head home to Pune because I crave for homecooked food. I also miss all the creative discussions on plays, films, that we have here,” he concludes.
