Mumbai ki ‘batti bandh’!

Mayor Shubha Raul takes the lead in the voluntary hour-long blackout tonight  — but is the glitterati ready to pull the plug?

Tonight’s the night. Mumbai is expected to switch off its lights between 7.30 to 8.30 this evening to participate in the ‘batti-bandh’ being led by Mayor Shubha Raul. Part of an initiative to spread awareness about global warming, it’ll commence with a double siren by the Home Guards department. 

“I’ll be carrying a torch tomorrow,” gushed VJ Lola Kutty in typical style, quickly adding, “Oh no, nothing like that, you know, I’ll go to Hanging Gardens for a walk with my bodyguard Alex.”

For actor Simone Singh it’s going to be a night under the starry sky. “We shifted to a new place in Bandra and it’s another excuse to go the terrace and enjoy the beautiful view and the cool breeze. I think this ‘lights off’ concept over the city is a great idea, even if it’s symbolic,” she adds. For film maker Sajid Khan, today’s blackout hour isn’t something he has high hopes from. “I’m going to be out of the house for six hours so there’s no question of switching the lights off at home. I don’t think it’s going to make any difference to the city...let’s see how many people observe it,” he said.

Ad-man Piyush Pandey says he already has plans for the evening. Would he be at home or in his office? “It’s a Saturday, do you expect me to work?,” he quips. “I’ll have a cold beer and chill at home with my family and we’ll sing songs in the dark.”

Shekhar Suman shot back, “Arre, I am already feeling the heat, and that’s the irony of it. It’s supposed to be winter but it’s still so warm.” Shekhar says he intends to spend the special hour “enjoying the silence and meditating for a better world.”

On the other hand, Malaika Arora-Khan thinks one hour of ‘no lights’ is a “cool” idea. The sexy actor is planning a candle-light dinner this evening. “Living in a noisy, and polluted city, it is moments like these which should be enjoyed,” she says.