An impact campaign inspired by the film Against the Tide, the Mumbai Koli Project aims to spotlight the city’s original fisherfolk, the Koli community, and their evolving relationship with the sea, while encouraging Mumbaikars to make more sustainable, seasonal, and inclusive seafood choices.
The Koli community—or indigenous fisherfolk—is at the frontline of the food systems in Mumbai. The original inhabitants of this coastline, they face numerous challenges posed by rapid urbanisation and the ongoing climate crisis, often resulting in not only their displacement, but also a loss of livelihood and heritage. Despite these pressures, the Kolis have managed to stay afloat.
The documentary film Against the Tide (2023), directed by Sarvnik Kaur, is an attempt to bring some of these issues to light, through documenting the lives of two fishermen and friends, Rakesh and Ganesh.
Both Rakesh and Ganesh are inheritors of the community’s rich, longstanding knowledge system—a way to harvest the sea by following the moon and the tides. Rakesh has retained his faith in traditional fishing methods, while Ganesh has moved away from them, embracing technology. Against the Tide is a tale of deep friendship and rising resentment between the two men, as close as brothers, against the backdrop of a seascape that is turning hostile due to rapidly changing climatic patterns.
Led in close collaboration with the film’s impact team and community leaders like Ganesh Nakhawa, the Mumbai Koli Project doesn’t just amplify a film—it carries its story forward. The campaign reflects the joys and turmoil of fishing and food, and the community’s affinity for music and dance, while highlighting traditional as well as modern practices of fishing in the shallow and deep seas.
Through storytelling, public engagement, and community-informed action, the Mumbai Koli Project aims to bridge the growing distance between those who eat seafood, and the communities that harvest the sea for a living.
Through storytelling, public engagement, and community-informed action, the Mumbai Koli Project aims to bridge the growing distance between those who eat seafood, and the communities that harvest the sea for a living.
Additionally, it attempts to encourage urban consumers to engage more deeply with the idea of what it means to eat locally and in accordance with the season.
“Even today, over 70% of the world’s population is nourished by small- and medium-scale farmers and fishers, yet industrial systems continue to deplete natural resources and displace those who harvest sustainably. Against the Tide was made in deep collaboration with Ganesh, Rakesh, their families, and the Koli community in Bombay—whose quiet heroism in the face of climate catastrophe deserves urgent attention.
To me, success is when Against the Tide becomes more than a film—used as a tool to support coastal rights, provoke public discourse, and challenge policy built on extraction.
The film has often been described as ‘life itself’—and I take that to mean it holds space for contradiction, fatigue, forgiveness, and love. To me, success is when Against the Tide becomes more than a film—used as a tool to support coastal rights, provoke public discourse, and challenge policy built on extraction. I want the film to reach classrooms, courts, ministries, and waterfront communities. I want it to be screened by the sea, for those most impacted, and be used in coalition with those resisting ecological injustice.
This is my ode to the Kolis of Bombay—and to the radical act of living with grace amid climate collapse.”
– Sarvnik Kaur, Director, Against the Tide
“They’ve started dumping cement there. It results in smaller, less meaty oysters that take longer to form”
—Ratna and Alka, Koli fisherwomen in Mumbai
Karandi Masala
This quick, everyday Koli shrimp curry brings together potatoes, kokum, and fresh baby shrimp.
Mandeli Masala
This light Mandeli curry is cooked with fresh hirwa watan and traditional Koli masala.
“Now there’s not even a drop in the cold rooms; it’s all dry”
—Sagar Hamav, worker at the Versova Ice Factory, Mumbai
Mud Crab / Kekda Masala
This Koli-style mud crab curry is rooted in Bhavesh’s childhood trips to Thane Creek with his grandfather.
‘Against the Tide’ Screening and Conversation at MuSo, Mumbai
An evening of cinema and conversation with the makers of ‘Against the Tide’ (2023)— held as part of The Locavore’s Mumbai Koli Project— explored the shifting tides of Mumbai’s Koli community and their changing relationship with the sea.
Bhirind Nustem Maskasangi Thalasan
This recipe from the Mumbai Koli Project by The Locavore brings together tongue sole cooked with kokum, spices, and moringa simmered gently in smolina and sesame oil.
Kusia Jalukia
This recipe from the Mumbai Koli Project by The Locavore features rolled eel gently braised with aromatics and raw papaya, cooked in mustard oil.
Píyelle Tisrya Bharlelyo
This recipe features clams cooked, chopped, and baked back into their shells with a coconut-and-herb filling.
“You should’ve come when we get bombil. It is beautiful, every surface of Mandav is covered with it”
—Leela Solanki, who dries fish at Versova village in Mumbai
Versova Koliwada Walk, Mumbai
Facilitated by Go Hallu Hallu co-founder Aslam Saiyad, and led by Koli community leader Rajhans Tapke, this guided walk explored the many facets of Versova Koliwada.
An Essential Reading Guide to Mumbai’s Changing Seascape
Mukta Patil, Projects Editor at The Locavore, curates a list of essential readings on sustainable fishing and the Koli community.
Ganesh Nakhawa on Why He Won’t Be the Last Fisherman of Mumbai
Fisherman-activist Ganesh Nakhawa talks to us about navigating tradition and technology, the shrinking coastlines of Mumbai, and what keeps him tied to the sea as a Koli fisherman.
Outcomes
- Increase awareness about the film Against The Tide and of Mumbai’s Koli community.
- Highlight the interconnected issues of fishing, climate change, and livelihoods.
- Shift consumption patterns of urban dwellers, nudging them towards more seasonal and sustainable seafood choices.
- Engage the next generation of chefs, researchers, and urban consumers to think deeply about food systems.
- Build a city-wide conversation on where our seafood comes from and who sustains it, by changing perceptions around local markets and fishing communities.
- Create an inclusive, participatory platform where chefs, artists, researchers, and residents can contribute meaningfully.
If this project helps even a few people meet their local fisher, experiment with lesser-known local varieties of seafood, or show up for a Koli-centred event, not just out of curiosity, but with respect and intention, I’d see that as a positive outcome.
“Success, for me, would mean that more people in Mumbai begin to recognise the Koli community not as a fading legacy, but as an essential part of the city’s living, breathing food culture. If this project helps even a few people meet their local fisher, experiment with lesser-known local varieties of seafood, or show up for a Koli-centred event, not just out of curiosity, but with respect and intention, I’d see that as a positive outcome.
It’s about moving from passive awareness to active solidarity, and building relationships that last beyond the campaign.”
—ChefTZac, Founder, The Locavore
Engagements
1. Film Screenings
🗓️ 27 September: Film Screening and Q&A Discussion at MuSo Commons, Mumbai
Register now to attend the screening of Against The Tide followed by a post-screening discussion between director Sarvnik Kaur, Koli fisherman and one of the protagonists of the film Ganesh Nakhawa, moderated by filmmaker Shubhra Chatterji. The ticket also includes free entry to MuSo’s Koli exhibit on the 8th floor.
Year: 2023 | Language: Koli, Marathi, Hindi | Duration: 97 minutes | Meet the Team
2. Beyond the Plate: What Does the Future of Coastal Food Systems Look Like?
As part of our flagship Beyond the Plate series, we will curate a virtual panel conversation that brings together voices from the frontlines of seafood, sustainability, and urban food systems.
Rooted in the narratives that Against the Tide highlights, the discussion will explore lived experience, shifting ecologies, and the evolving role of coastal communities in shaping Mumbai’s food future.
3. A Dinner Against the Tide
A curated dinner hosted in collaboration with a Mumbai-based restaurant.
Envisioned as a sensory and reflective experience—designed not as a luxury event, but as a learning-through-food encounter rooted in solidarity, storytelling, and systems awareness—each element of the meal will aim to:
- Showcase lesser-known seafood varieties commonly caught and consumed by the Koli community, many of which rarely feature on restaurant menus.
- Pair each course with context—sourcing stories, sustainability issues, and reflections from the community.
- Bring together a cross-section of stakeholders—chefs, food writers, marine conservationists, funders, and citizens with influence—to listen, reflect, and respond.
4. Publication of ‘Eating Against the Tide’
A mini cookbook zine of Koli stories, seafood, and seasonal rhythms that highlight personal memories, fishing rituals, seasonal calendars, and seafood recipes.
We’re looking for collaborators:
Have you ever wanted to use your skills, creativity, or platform to spark a larger conversation about Mumbai and its original fisherfolk — the Koli community?
The Mumbai Koli Project—the official impact campaign of the Against the Tide documentary by Sarvnik Kaur—picks up where the film leaves off. It spotlights the Kolis’ evolving relationship with the sea and the city, while inviting Mumbaikars to choose seafood that is sustainable, seasonal, and inclusive.
We’re calling on artists, chefs, performers, designers, educators, institutions, researchers, and community-builders to collaborate with us. Through storytelling, public engagement, and community-led action, this project aims to bridge the growing distance between those who eat from the sea and those who harvest it.
This is an open invitation to co-create a cultural moment where Mumbai comes together to talk about the Kolis.
🔊 Why This Callout?
We believe food systems are everyone’s responsibility — and that meaningful change begins when more of us show up with what we have to offer.
Through the #BhiuNako campaign, we’re inviting collaborators across creative, academic, and cultural mediums to bring their voices into the campaign in thoughtful, self-led ways. This is not about isolated projects, but about sparking public conversation citywide: who the Kolis are, the challenges they face, and why their knowledge, labour, and resilience matter to all of us.
If you’re a member of the Koli community, we especially welcome you to fill out the form. Your stories, perspectives, and lived experiences are central to this project.
🌊 What Could Collaboration Look Like?
Here are just some ideas to spark your imagination:
Weaving Installation — a textile artist creates a piece using discarded fishing nets or coastal materials
Cooking with the Coast — a chef or home cook hosts a session spotlighting lesser-known local fish from Koliwadas, paired with stories of seasonality and sustainability
Sound or Poetry Installation — a sound designer or poet weaves sea sounds and Koli voices into an immersive experience on ocean memory and loss
Youth & School Workshops — an educator designs interactive activities to help children learn about Mumbai’s fisherfolk, seafood diversity, and the tides
Fashion/Textile Collaboration — a designer creates garments or objects inspired by Koli motifs, materials, or rituals
Koli Content Creators — a creator from the Koli community collaborates with The Locavore to share traditional recipes, fishing knowledge, and everyday stories
Screenings & Conversations — host a screening of Against the Tide in your community, institution, or organisation
These are only starting points — we’d love to be surprised by your ideas, formats, and collaborations.
✨ What You’ll Receive
Visibility & Recognition — your work will be showcased on the campaign website with a dedicated write-up and links to your portfolio or platform
Amplification & Reach — selected collaborations will be featured across The Locavore’s social media, newsletter, and press outreach, bringing your work to wider, engaged audiences
📅 Deadline
Please fill out this Collaborator Call-out form to share your ideas with us by 25 September 2025.
The Mumbai Koli Project is the official impact campaign of the Against the Tide documentary, led by The Locavore in close collaboration with Sarvnik Kaur, Ganesh Nakhawa, and Sonia Parekh. It is supported by the Doc Society’s Climate Story Fund which enables independent media storytelling and impact strategies from around the world.
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