Mumbai’s dabbawalas
We made a 5-minute documentary showcasing the lives of Mumbai's dabbawalas, and the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown on their work and families.
The idea
HSBC Bank helped out Mumbai's dabbawala community with a generous supply of groceries, toiletries, cycles, tabs and mobile phones for a 7-month period. The objective of the film was to highlight this initiative while keeping maximum focus on the stories.
The crew
As always, we went with a lean crew of 8. It helped that the team was multi-lingual, and so communicating with the dabbawalas in their native Marathi proved immensely helpful in bringing to life the essence of their struggles.
The brand
The brand wanted to highlight their generous contribution that helped the dabbawalas survive the lockdown. While all the aspects of the relief kits were covered, the central anchor of the story was still the plight of this community.
The stories
Within a span of 2 days we spoke to around 25 dabbawalas and their families. And as always, we made sure to create a safe space for our interviewees and respect any boundaries they might have with regard to their lives. The result was a heartfelt narrative shedding light on the brand's efforts.
