Salaam Bombay! (1988)

🎬 Poverty, Pickpockets & Pure Heartache in Salaam Bombay! 🎬

Watch the Mira Nair Interview here.

In this episode of Fear of Stairs: Desi Films Decoded, we dive head-first into Zohan Mamdani's mom, Mira Nair’s 1988 classic Salaam Bombay!—the raw, Oscar-nominated drama that put Mumbai’s street kids on the global map.

Join us as we chat about:

・ How Nair balances gut-punch realism with genuine empathy—no Bollywood sugar-coating here.

・ The cast of real street children and the wild “acting bootcamp” that taught them to focus long enough for a take.

・ Poverty-porn versus powerful storytelling—where’s the line, and does this film cross it?

・ Why Salaam Bombay! scored Cannes prizes, an Oscar nom, and a spot on the NY Times “1,000 Best Movies” list.

・ Our favorite morbidly funny behind-the-scenes bits (yes, even this movie has bloopers).

Whether you’re new to Indian cinema or already know every chai stall in Chowpatty, we break down the heartbreak, the hope, and the pint-sized hustlers in a way that’s laid-back, relatable, and occasionally ridiculous—just like the pod.

So grab a cutting chai, hit play, and let’s find out together if Salaam Bombay! still packs the same punch nearly four decades later—or if we’ve just been hustled by a bunch of ten-year-olds.