COVID-19 lockdown: Rambo Circus in Mumbai faces challenges

One of the biggest circuses in the country, the Rambo Circus, is finding it difficult to make the ends meet.
They are stranded at Airoli, off the satellite township of Navi Mumbai. Like the cinema halls and theatres, circuses too have been shut because of the lockdown.

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"These are very difficult times for us," Rambo Circus owner Sujit Dilip told DH over phone.
The strength of Rambo Circus is around 90 to 100 including artistes, support staff and managerial staff. Besides, it has 17 dogs and a pony.

"The running cost per day is around Rs 25,000 while the earning now is zero...it is difficult to make ends meet," Dilip said.
Describing circuses as a dying art, Dilip has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for help.

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He also thanked Maharashtra's Food and Civil Supplies Minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal for sending food material.

"Mumbai is a great city, we are surviving because of the love that this city showers on us," he said, adding that the circus just moved from Sanpada to Airoli and then to Jogeshwari.

"Our schedule is disturbed....even after Corona goes, there would be a fear," he said.
Dilip said that the daily requirement for rice and other ration itself is over 50 kg. "There is a long queue in shops....and they don't give us that quantity...in times of crisis people from the buildings surrounding the ground are helping us," he said.

Dilip has also sought a relief package for circuses and travelling art form which depends on daily collection.