Der Grafiker

Our spot is tucked away on Kazi Syed Street in the Masjid Bunder area of Mumbai. It’s a very old part of the city, and it’s always crowded. If you’ve ever been to Deonar or around the docks, you know how it is. We go by Der Grafiker. It sounds a bit different, but we are just a small shop doing design work. We have our computers set up in a space that’s probably too small for all the stuff we have. There’s paper samples and ink smells everywhere. It’s noisy outside with all the trucks and loaders moving goods through the narrow streets. We don't have a big storefront with lights. You have to look for number 33 to find us. Most of our day is spent sitting in front of screens, trying to get things to look right for the people who come in. We don't do big advertising. Most people find us because they work nearby or someone told them we could help. It gets hot in the afternoons, and the chai wala knows exactly when to bring our tea. We aren't trying to be the biggest agency in town. We just like making things and getting the printing done. It’s a messy, busy life here in the heart of the market, but we’re used to it. We just keep working until the sun goes down and the traffic thins out a bit.