A documentary about reading in the city of Bombay.
The film titled “Books in the Big City” looks at challenges a culture of reading faces in a fast-changing alpha city like Mumbai. As the city modernises and Mumbaikars shift their reading online, many small libraries and bookstores are closing down. Street booksellers, famous in Mumbai for selling everything from pirated to first edition books, are also feeling the pressure. While technology has opened up new avenues for reading, not everybody can afford access to the internet and e-readers. This raises important questions about access to knowledge in general and the need for reader-friendly spaces in overcrowded urban areas.
Books in the Big City explores these issues through the testimonies of prominent locally-based writers, readers and booksellers, taking the viewer on a journey around the city, from the cramped living quarters of a bohemian bibliophile to exclusive members-only ‘public’ libraries. (via EMA)