Film by Atheeva Reji Kumar
The city is a patchwork made up of diverse elements from varied origins, all sewn together to make a vibrant, messy and fascinating whole. This film explores the diversity of Chickpete, one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods, by bringing into focus its myriad hues. It explores the idea of walking as a way to get to know the city with a narrative structured around the personal experiences and curiosities of the filmmaker. Through the film we experience what it’s like to walk through the crowded streets and the narrow lanes of the market, pausing along the way as the filmmaker reflects on the soul of Chickpete. Pete is many things. It is overwhelming, engaging, and historic. It is also a palimpsest; alive and breathing. Once immersed in its flow, we sway to its dance, enraptured by its movement. As we traverse through Pete we learn that it’s the ingenuity of the people that binds this space together, and it is their adaptable nature that has kept it relevant even today.
