In 2009, days before the release of Karan Johar’s film Wake Up Sid, Johar showed up at the doorstep of Raj Thackeray, the leader of the political party Maharashra Navnirvan Sena (MNS). Johar had gone there to apologise for referring to India’s financial capital as ‘Bombay’ and not ‘Mumbai’ in the movie.
The use of the word ‘Bombay’ created much controversy–not just from MNS, but other parties, too. “If Johar really feels sorry about it, he should apologise to Maharashtra and the millions of Marathi Manoos staying here,” said Sanjay Raut, the spokesperson of Shive Sena.
‘Bombay’ and ‘Mumbai’ have often been used interchangeably by Indians, the international populace, and even the residents, but why do the plethora of names given to the city spark political controversy?
In 1995, when Shiv Sena, the political party led by the chauvinist extraordinaire Bal Thackrey, came to power after winning the Maharashtra state elections, ‘Bombay’ was officially renamed as ‘Mumbai.’ Some, particularly votaries of Marathi chauvinism, argued that the change was necessary. Bombay, they said, was a colonial name that did not represent the ‘cultural values’ of people who resided there. The name change, ostensibly, represented a transition from a colonial to a ‘nativist’ mentality.
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