'We had been warned about Mumbai's monsoon!'

You decided to extend your stay in India and tweeted Far too many stories to tell in one week What has been your most interesting discovery on this tripWhat happened is the very first time I came to India in 2018 my experience was slightly sheltered I was doing an IPL commercial on a film set with lots of people Everything was perfect a little too perfect I guess I was looked after and carted around from place to place so I never got to experience the raw sides of India Before coming I had the expectation that it was going to be different smoother how it runs how it works mdash like public transport and eating food in market places the things that make India uniquely India which I hadnrsquot experienced So I had to experience it for myself and needed time to do that naturallyThen as I arrived we came smack bang into monsoon which was frankly horrifying it felt very exposed It is very exposed We spent a couple of days inside and then I went to a meet up which was just incredible mdash likeminded people no matter what the culture everyone seems on the same global Bru wave length mdash a community of friendship mdash something very important to me The ideology of Bru has made such an impact in India One of the big reasons I extended my stay was to explore more of that in India as well as work and meet more likeminded peopleThen Ive also stayed longer because I feel I wouldnrsquot be able to tell enough of a fullrounded story in a single episodeCould you tell us about your new film and in what way does it deviate from your past projectsThe first film The Real Mumbai Musical is a broad take on Mumbai mdash celebrating the unsung daily heroes the people who make this city move Without giving anyone a particular centre stage Thats why we used diegetic sounds to sync all the beauties and create one strung together soundtrack that represented its space its intersections in a beautiful way mdash the importance of rhythm is that it shows how one part needs the next part and how the more you merge together the more unique and beautiful the sound track becomes the same as human beings People live very close together and I think the first film is a really beautiful showcase of the sounds of different people and their surroundings and its a great way to show that in a short space of time without diving too deep into any one thing but coming out with enough depth to contextualise an authentic feeling The new film mdash for next week mdash dives into personal growth and levels of self doubt through making a film in Bollywood On one side it will be highly entertaining and on the other it has a deeper more global emotional messageArriving in Mumbai was very intense The cab driver was praying loudly the entire ride I saw a group of people swimming accross the highway and getting washed into a rickshaw pictwittercomG50qUPqbSumdash Dan Mace Dannmace July 8 2019Your arrival into the city mdash through a waterlogged road mdash was really quite intense even for us to watch Could you sum up your experience and what prompted the decision to film it Totally We had been warned about the monsoon season and looked at a video titled something like Worst Monsoon Rains In India Ever and thought yeah but it wont be that bad Upon arriving it was actually worse What prompted me to film it was that it was a sight to behold and my general reaction to experiences like that these days is to film Maybe in a way it my camera helps me through scarier moments How did the Mumbai meetup with your fans go Are there any Indian YouTubers you follow or are aware ofThe meetup was awesome It never feels as if I have fans its as if Ive created a circle of people that are essentially friends because we share the same mindset and understanding the same primitive need to connect and to be accepted The right people gravitate towards that idea because Im not afraid to speak about that core human truth Every time I meet people and they say they watch my films and enjoy them it feels like a friendship not a fan thing It was like a big appreciation crew of really cool real people As for YouTubers yes I follow Bhuvan Bam Sandeep Maheshwari Tanmay Bhat and I know Jacqueline Fernandez is starting a Youtube channel which I am amped aboutMumbai on my mindThree places in the city youd recommend visiting and whyChor Bazar Really rad secondhand market you can buy anything thereDharavi A beautiful slum Very colourfulMarine Drive The Queenrsquos Necklace Really beautifulCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates