Home as much to Bollywood as it is to a burgeoning population, Mumbai has lots of diversity to offer to its tourists. From historic architecture and never-ending cultural festivities to its exquisite taste bud-sizzling delicacies, Mumbai is definitely the place to experience the colours life has to offer. We caught up with fashion designer Amir Adnan, who recollected memories of his three-day trip to Mumbai and shared his experiences and observations about this mega-city.

Instep: You’ve visited Mumbai before. Were your first impressions of the city different this time around?

Amir Adnan: I last visited Mumbai eight years ago. Back then, the airport was unclean and its mopped floors smelled like a hospital. The officers were hostile, especially towards us Pakistanis; we were asked to make a separate queue and the rudeness reached its peak at Customs. The situation didn’t improve once we got out of the airport - it still smelled, maybe because it was humid and there were slums on both sides of the road. I remember getting stuck in a bad traffic jam on the way to our hotel - those were my initial impressions of Mumbai during my earlier trip.

This time, I was completely blown away by the progress the city has made. I walked out to this gigantic airport, bigger than Dubai Terminal III that was made for Emirates. The airport showcased Indian culture in all its glory. It was decorated beautifully with intricate 3D art murals on the walls; the floor was fully covered with carpets so clean I could have lay down on them and the carpets too were decorated with Indian art. Even the washrooms were state-of-the-art; I could have been in a seven star hotel.

Instep: Mumbai is known as a haven for epicureans. What did you try from the variety of cuisines on offer?

AA: I’m a foodie - you can count on me to eat anything and everything that comes my way! From fine dining to street food, food in India never disappoints you. On the whole, the dining experience was very gratifying and the hospitality industry in India has progressed leaps and bounds.

Instep: Did you take the time to visit any famous landmarks during your quick trip?

AA: Honestly, I didn’t. We went to Crawford Market, which is a popular wholesale market. When the ladies were shopping, I walked into an old but well-maintained mosque made from white marble. I noticed that the inlays, stairs, banisters were full of intricate art work - the sight was just to die for! I visited the industrial areas where old mills were converted into evening cafes and high-end designer shops. I didn’t go to historical landmarks (as we were just there for the weekend) but these new additions were good enough for sight-seeing.

Instep: Any Dos or Don’ts of visiting Mumbai?

AA: Whether it’s Mumbai or any other place that you visit, the first thing to do is to let go of your baggage before visiting a country or city. Meet the people with an open mind and try accepting them for who they are. Observe their positive traits. For instance, one little thing that I noticed was that every single time a rickshaw wala finished his ride, he would stop and clean his rickshaw until it shines. I like that he took pride in the object that gave him his livelihood.

The lady who was selling paan at the corner had her hair oiled and combed perfectly with a flower in it and she wore a crisp white sari. I hardly saw people begging so all in all, Mumbai has progressed. Last time I didn’t see people greeting me but this time, they greeted me with a smile. Even in elevators, whenever an Indian noticed me, he greeted me with a smile. Such gestures were something that I only experienced in America or some parts of Europe. I had to use the internet and went into a shop and asked for their WiFi password; they happily gave it when usually, people don’t. To sum up, people were hospitable.

Instep: Recommendations for first-time tourists in Mumbai?

AA:  I would recommend everyone to visit this famous chaatwala in Crawford Market called Badshah. Try their local cuisines such as chaat, gol gappay, pani puri and they have this kesar badaam doodh, which is out of this world. Have lots of paan, try their local ice-creams and also try their continental cuisine as it’s quite delicious. Just go on and talk to any Indian next to you and he’ll guide you well.

I would also recommend visiting their shopping malls too. I went to this shop called Shoppers Stop and it had 200 different brands - all under one roof. I wanted to buy a pair of jeans and I’m a difficult size, so usually I end up trying several pieces. But when I walked in, the salesman showed me ten trousers of different brands and all of them fitted me like a glove!

Instep: How would you compare Karachi and Mumbai?

AA: I may have been able to draw comparisons eight years ago, but not anymore. Both cities have a completely different ambiance and energy. Let’s just say that Mumbai was a different experience altogether!

Instep: Okay, can you tell us how Mumbai compares with mega cities of Pakistan such as Karachi or Islamabad in terms of affordability?

AA: Mumbai has grown more expensive, definitely pricier than Karachi. Having said that, Karachi is selling products imported from China; in India, the products are made by Indians, for Indians -that’s where the difference lies.

Instep: We’re sure you cast a critical eye on the fashion of Mumbai-ites. What did you think?

AA: When I first visited, I didn’t find people well-dressed and the women weren’t groomed very well. But this time, I came across women who were fabulously dressed. I observed sophistication which was lacking years ago and another thing that I noted there was that people were talking about positivity and progression.

- Photography by Faisal Farooqui