The making of the (anti) hero: Raj Thackeray

10

It was during my student days in Pune that I first came to know of Raj Thackeray. That was the time when he first started making noises against Uddhav Thackeray. And that was the first time we came to know that the flat bang opposite ours belonged to Raj Thackeray. We would see streams and streams of people coming to visit him, though he would be happily sitting at his Shivaji Park home in Mumbai. All sorts of ruffian-esque people were at his door 24/7. Thoughtful neighbours and security guards would check upon us as we were six girls staying alone out there. And frankly, it was slightly scary to most of us, but what we all agreed upon was that the man had charisma and that was why so many people came to his door everyday. The big fallout happened and Raj was all over the....

A Dream called Home

3

"My dear girl, only a tenth of Mumbai's population can actually afford a home," a prominent realtor told me when I was interviewing him for a story on the costliest flat deal in the city. Be that as may be, getting a home has actually become easier for some sections of our society atleast, thanks to the funding available. A prominent newspaper has actually organized a second/weekend home exhibition in Mumbai right now. But the not so rich continue to dream of a home. And finally one fine day, when they manage to save enough, they buy one. Only to be told a few years down the line that the builder had cheated them, the building is unauthorized. And their only immovable property is not theirs anymore. It's a story heard quite often in Maharashtra and especially in the Mumbai-Thane belt. So when I was asked to go to....