Rains hit Mumbai. Celebs spill their monsoon plans

After a long delay, the monsoon has finally arrived in Maharashtra on Tuesday. We caught up with celebrities in Mumbai to see how they are navigating waterlogging, traffic snarls and longer commutes this season

Even Google gets emotionally overwhelmed during monsoon: Adah Sharma

When I need to go somewhere, I leave much earlier than necessary because, during the monsoon, even Google Maps gets emotionally overwhelmed and starts lying to me. So, my monsoon navigation strategy is simple: leave early, pray to the rain gods, carry snacks, and maintain the optimism of a Mumbaikar! Also, after doing action films, I feel I should be able to cross a flooded road, dodge three autos and two puddles, all while holding on to an umbrella trying to fly away in the wind. If not, all that training was for nothing.

I write new music while stuck in jams: Akriti Kakar

I honestly love the monsoons, but only when I get to enjoy the rain from my balcony! The city always gets jammed, but I’m someone who believes in making the best of the worst. So, I try to use that time to write new music. I always have some snacks to munch on in the car too. I also plan my travels area-wise and try to finish everything I can in that particular area so I don’t have to venture out again. Save time, energy and fuel, that’s my mantra.

We actors try to carpool to help ease the burden on the city: Deven Bhojani

I try to plan my schedules in a way that helps me avoid travelling during peak hours. Many times, we actors also try to carpool. For this monsoon, I’ve already kept a large umbrella, some dry fruits, diet snacks, a portable phone charger and emergency contact numbers handy to deal with unpredictable situations.

I hope authorities take better care of citizens: Abhishek Banerjee,

I’ve an old connection with Mumbai rains. The day I arrived in the city from Delhi (in 2008), it was raining. My friend was supposed to pick me up from the railway station but he had overslept. I knew nothing about the city but I managed to reach his home on my own. So, I have been navigating the city since day one as an outsider. The beauty of Mumbai is that people

who want to reach their destination somehow always do. But I hope the authorities take better care of us citizens and build better drainage systems.

After the watercuts, we really needed the rain: Hiten Tejwani

I’m glad the monsoon has finally arrived in Mumbai. This year, with water cuts affecting parts of the city, we really needed the rain. The city always comes to a standstill during the first showers, with traffic jams and waterlogging becoming a common sight. It’s part and parcel of being a Mumbaikar. Having been born and brought up in the city, I’m used to the rains and I love it.