Stand-up comedian Abijit Ganguly has moved from Mumbai to Bengaluru, saying he wanted more greenery, space and better surroundings for his family, especially with a baby. In a social media post, Ganguly explained how his experience of living in Mumbai had changed over the years and why he eventually decided to leave the city.
Ganguly said the arrival of a baby in his family made him look for a place with more greenery and open space.
He expressed his view that new projects and renovations would continue, making everyday life difficult for residents. He also pointed out that even projects completed a few years ago could be broken down to make way for bigger ones. He also wanted an environment with schools that had enough space. The comedian recalled that he had loved Mumbai when he moved there from Delhi nine years ago. However, he felt that something had changed in the city over the years, particularly after the COVID lockdown. In a follow-up post, Ganguly clarified that he had moved to Bengaluru. Ganguly explained that for many comedians, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru and Mumbai were the main practical choices, with Pune and Hyderabad also being options for those who already had an audience base there. He also felt that after living in Mumbai, the NCR seemed unnecessarily combative. He also cited better schools, better houses and cheaper rents as reasons for choosing Bengaluru, noting that everything felt less expensive after living in Mumbai. Ganguly ended his post on a light-hearted note, saying he was on his way to a Kannada lesson as he began this new chapter of his life.
Because of the pollution situation, especially with a baby, he said he could not consider the NCR. He attributed this partly to the fact that 50 per cent of the city was a military cantonment, adding that the greenery helped keep the city alive.
Ganguly said he moved out of Mumbai last week after gradually realising that the city seemed to be in a constant state of construction. Describing life in Mumbai as being in “hard mode”, Ganguly said the arrival of a baby in his family made him look for a place with more greenery and open space. He acknowledged that the city also faced construction-related problems but said that, based on his recent visits and evaluations, he had found it a better option than Mumbai. Explaining Bengaluru’s appeal, Ganguly said the city still had plenty of trees and greenery.
