“I’ve lived in Mumbai my entire life. I say this like it’s a resume headliner but I think it’s important to establish my city connections. I’ve been an advertising copywriter for over 9 years now. In dog years that’s 63, and considering the working conditions in the industry I would say that’s a fairer estimate.”

Cyrus Daruwala cannot emphasise his association with the city enough, with one of the most defined features of Mumbai being the site of his tongue-in-cheek project I Take This Train Too - The Mumbai Local locals. In all its sweating, trudging glory, the locals of Bombay transport a whopping 6.1 million daily commuters, a melting pot of people in transit. Initially kicked off for a small article, Cyrus quickly realised the sheer variety of train-travelling characters. Thus came about his 94-page book loaded with a map, catchy descriptions and 35 personalities you might encounter on a train in Mumbai. For anyone who has ever taken a Mumbai train, these sketches are instantly identifiable as you flash back to your own most recent slightly absurd incident on a local, and you have to hand it to Cyrus for nailing both the sketches and the write-ups.

He indulged Homegrown in a quick interview, sharing a few of his own experiences. Scroll on to view some of our favourite sketches as well as excerpts from our conversation.

I. Who was the very first Mumbai locals’ local that you sketched?

I believe it was The Transporter – the quiet Gujarati businessman who zealously guards his bag.

II. Who is your personal favourite character you’ve sketched and why? Also, we love the colours in the sketches, how did you plan these?

Wow I feel like a parent here choosing my favourite kid. It’s a toughie but I’m going to say the Starer & Judger. I believe they are amongst the most emotive of the lot.

My drawing style is simplistic owing to my obvious lack of technical training. I chose a colour palette that would accurately portray the persona of each character – such as the sickly pale yellow of the ‘Starer’ or the dull grey of the ‘Sleepwalker’. So each colour corresponds to a mood.

III. How did you document characters in the ladies’ compartment of the locals?

Ah, as I have explained in the book, this proved to be a tricky affair. I had to rely on half-baked observations and notes from my wife and female friends. Hence the number of female characters is significantly fewer than the males.

IV. Tell us about some of the funniest personal interactions you’ve had on the local.

I have a slightly morbid sense of fascination with watching fights. (A trait that my wife ‘tsk-tsks’ me for on many occasions.) I won’t single out one incident but what I find hilarious is the number of arguments that could potentially escalate into fisticuffs but never do. These anticlimaxes tend to descend into a hilarious verbal daring match. While I enjoy watching arguments, I don’t enjoy violence, so these mini-altercations satisfy the ‘Starer’ in me.

V. Rapid fire round:

- What to do when you get caught by cops without a train pass?

That almost happened to me once. I thought I would have a heart attack. But I pulled a Mission Impossible ghost protocol on the TC and somehow avoided him.

- Window seat or standing near the door? Window seat for ensuring the survival of my genes & jeans. The door, if I’m feeling nostalgic, or had too many drinks.

- A playlist you like to listen to on the train. Kenny G. It makes you feel like you’re in an elevator and the ride will be over soon.

‘I Take This Train Too - The Mumbai Locals locals is available on Amazon.