Creative Cabs: Showcasing Mumbai’s art and colours on Wheels

By Manas Dwivedi

The city of dreams Mumbai fulfils millions of dreams daily; it gives hope to the one who is struggling to make his dream a reality. One such dream is now real – an aspiration of beautifying the transportation system of the city. Such idea is brought alive by Taxi Fabric, a foundation working exclusively towards uplifting artwork and promoting designing as a profession in India. They aim to provide exposure to local artists and improve passenger's travel experience too.

The busy roads of Mumbai are no longer seen as dull and drab. The usual black and yellow taxis have now turned into a colourful epitome of some brilliant masterpiece. The unique casing of taxis in Mumbai is now seen with some very beautiful interiors where every design is based on a broad theme showcasing "stories of Mumbai".

The idea is brained by a team of four entrepreneurial colleagues – Sanket Avlani, Girish Narayandass, Mahak Malik and Nathlie Gordon. Aiming to create a cultural drive, the team is constantly working with a group of local designers, photographers, craftsmen and volunteers. These people use their skill effectively and install creative designs on the seat covers and upholstery of the taxi. In a hunt to make a colourful network of cabs, Team Taxi Fabric keeps in mind the need for promoting various art forms. The project is funded through a global crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter.

Taxi Fabric is looking to change the face and colour of as many cabs operating in the city of Bollywood. They have already transformed 8 of the 50,000 taxis running in Mumbai. The project has so far garnered some good words from the city's residents. They say it helps them understand the art and also believe that art can really create a mesmerizing impact. Due to comparative decline in forms of design and drawing, this new ramification is like giving some good zest and zeal to the field of art.

Although Mumbai cab drivers are known for customizing their taxis with different flashy articles but coming up with such a creative start up has given the city 'new eyes' to see the world around. It helps travellers in Mumbai to experience, feel and understand various emotions behind such popping caricatures.

This astonishing ramification is a very careful and soothing step in changing the mood and vibes of the passengers. The art-piece over the fabric in the taxis also helps in making the city brighter and happier, where not just the artist, but the cabbie and the passenger love the new thread.