Zubair Azmi, director of Urdu Markaz and founder of the Bhendi Bazaar Research Academy, gives us a handy guide to Manto’s Bombay. Photos Courtesy: File pics
Arab Galli
In 1936, a young Manto in his early 20s made his way to Bombay and settled for a compact room in the chawls of Arab Galli.
Here, he saw the intimidating, feared gangster Mammad Bhai, who is later comically revealed to be a bubbly benevolent man in Manto’s eponymous story, Mammad Bhai. Manto writes about paying nine rupees and eight annas per month for the residence. Renting a home in the evolving neighbourhood will set you back to the tune of Rs 40,000 a month in 2026
Adelphi Chambers
The writer’s more recognised abode on Mirza Ghalib Road (formerly Clare Road) in Byculla was a more modern, cosmopolitan locality. It is also where Bollywood greats like Ashok Kumar and Nargis visited the writer. It is said that K Asif, director of the iconic Mughal-e-Azam, also came visiting once
Nagpada Garden
On breezy evenings, Manto would often walk down to the Nagpada Garden to wind down, and as always, observe the people around him. The garden is now the Padmakar Tukaram Mane Garden, known for its wall mural sculpture of poet Mirza Ghalib on its façade
Imperial Film Company
For a brief period, Manto worked with filmmaker Ardeshir Irani who founded the Imperial Film Company (now Jyoti Studio) near Grant Road railway station. The first film scripted by Manto, Kisan Kanya, was shot in the same studio. Cinephiles will know Irani and the studio for producing India’s first sound film, Alam Ara (1931)
Nagpada Junction
Right outside Nagpada Police Station, Manto once observed a pimp, Siraj, leaning on an electricity pole in search of his next client.
In his extensive writings on the complex lives of prostitutes and pimps, the writer makes references to Siraj.
Not far away, Manto’s go-to for his evening chai, Sarvi, remembers him with the ‘Manto Table’ to this day
Minerva Movietone
Zubair Azmi suggests you make a detour to the lanes of Sewri, where Manto worked with Sohrab Modi’s Minerva Movietone studio. Azmi’s grandfather-in-law Sadat Ali, who was the chief production manager would recall how the writer often accompanied him home, and excitedly requested, “Mia, kuch khilaiye.” The site of Minerva Movietone is now barren land
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