Aram Nagar is a neighborhood in

Andheri Andheri (Help:IPA/Marathi, �n̪d̪ʱeɾiː is a suburb situated in Western Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Government and politics For administrative purposes, Andheri is bifurcated into Andheri (west) and Andheri (east). Andheri (west) comes ...

, a suburb of

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

in India. It spans 20 acres and is located adjacent to Versova, in Andheri West of Mumbai. There are numerous casting agencies, offices of major production houses, and advertising agencies in Aram Nagar. It is referred to as the '

Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that is a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical area of the Santa Clara Valley ...

' for India's media and entertainment industry. The rentals in Aram Nagar are known for their affordability, and the available spaces offer flexible lease terms, making it particularly suitable for independent filmmakers operating on limited budgets.

History

During the

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, this area housed a barrack of the

British Indian Army The Indian Army was the force of British Raj, British India, until Indian Independence Act 1947, national independence in 1947. Formed in 1895 by uniting the three Presidency armies, it was responsible for the defence of both British India and ...

. The Aram Nagar colony was utilized by the British as a training center for

anti-submarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapon ...

operations. In 1947, the government transformed it into a transit camp to accommodate migrating populations. It provided refuge to people who had returned from

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

during the partition. Until the year 2000, it remained a typical residential area. After the year 2000, many offices related to films opened here transforming the area into a hub for aspiring individuals in the entertainment or film industry. Over the past two decades, Aram Nagar has gained recognition as a gateway to

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...

. Independent filmmakers like

Ram Gopal Varma Penmetsa Ram Gopal Varma (born 7 April 1962), often referred to by his initials RGV, is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer, primarily known for his work in Hindi cinema, Hindi and Telugu cinema, Telugu films.** * * Varma has dir ...

Sudhir Mishra Sudhir Mishra (born 22 January 1959) is an Indian filmmaker. His most notable films include '' Dharavi'' (1992), '' Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi'' (2003), '' Chameli'' (2004), and '' Serious Men'' (2020). His work has been recognised with three nat ...

Anurag Kashyap Anurag Kashyap (born 10 September 1972) is an Indian filmmaker and actor known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of four Filmfare Awards. For his contributions to films, the Government of France made him a Knight of the Ordre ...

, and

Tigmanshu Dhulia Tigmanshu Dhulia (born 3 July 1967) is an Indian film dialogue writer, director, actor, screenwriter, producer and casting director known for his works in Hindi cinema and Television. He wrote the dialogue for the 1998 film ''Dil Se..'', the fir ...

established their careers from Aram Nagar. In 2016, it was reported that the

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), or the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) is the governing civic body of Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra. Salman Khan Is Now Brand Ambassador of BMC from 2016. The BMC is India ...

(BMC) undertook the demolition of more than 75 unauthorized structures within the Aram Nagar area.

Demography

The area is divided into two parts, Phase-1 and Phase-2, and comprises approximately 900 houses. Around 3,000 individuals striving to establish themselves in the entertainment industry reside here. Aram Nagar is a diverse community, with residents from 10 to 12 different states across India.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aram Nagar Suburbs of Mumbai Neighbourhoods in Mumbai Neighbourhoods in Maharashtra