I first came to the city on work in 1996, Quicky’s had just opened a branch in Nungambakkam (Who does Madras Bleed For?, Sep 1). Chennai was slowly seeing an influx of north Indians. Weekends were either spent at ‘Mahabs’ or ‘Pondy’. Dil Se wasn’t released in Hindi, though its Tamil version did well. And one fine day all English signboards were painted black. Cut to my second stint in 2003. Superstores and malls everywhere, even a Fabindia in town. I thought nothing had changed, it was still a sleepy old town, but illusions shattered after I heard some local boys asking for a Popcorn Khao, Mast Ho Jao DVD in Landmark.
Nirupama Kotru, on e-mail
Nice article, I have experienced it.
Sankar, Pondicherry
