Looking to make friends in Mumbai? These run clubs, film circles and nature groups can help find your tribe

Step by stepThe run club strikes a happy pose after a morning runEvery Saturday I run with a group of friends A year ago they were strangers I had never met before I always wanted to get fitter but I was too lazy to do it alone Joining a run club Not a Run Club in my case helped me find the community that pulls you along Initially I feared that I might not fit in and will be judged by others But contrary to popular belief fitness clubs are some of the most accommodating groupsIt took me two or three sessions to open up The runnersrsquo high helps you feel more confident in yourself Looking back I am glad I stepped into a completely new world alone and not with an old friend My favourite part of the week is our postrun sessions where we sit in a cafeacute to have breakfast and talk about our week Itrsquos something that I really look forward to each weekYash Karia content writer KandivliFind your tribeNot a Run Club notarunclubmumbaiBombay On Foot bombayonfootPudhe Chala pudhechalarunclubWhatrsquos the sceneIrsquom not someone who makes friends easily I joined the Secret Seven film club in Versova because I missed experiencing movies as a shared community activity Postpandemic so much of life had become individualistic and algorithmic What surprised me about the film club was nobody was there to make friends explicitly but somehow everyone ended up leaving with oneCinephiles at screenings PIC COURTESYSECRET SEVEN CLUB BRIEF ENCOUNTERS CLUBA shared activity takes the pressure off You donrsquot need to rack your brains about ice breakers you already have a twohour film to argue about Those conversations have a way of snowballing into interesting momentsIrsquod like to borrow a line from the series The Bear and say that people donrsquot bond in the extraordinary moments they bond in the most ordinary ones You show up for the thing that you love films books art After enough Wednesdays or Sundays together you realise yoursquore showing up as much for the people as for the activityAlisha SJA law student Navi MumbaiWatch with meBombay Movie Collective thebombaymoviecollectiveVHS vhsmumbaiBrief Encounters briefencountersfilmclubIt comes naturallyNature has given me much more than photographs it has given me lifelong friendships Through birdwatching herping trips wildlife safaris and more Irsquove had the chance to meet some amazing people who share my love for naturePIC COURTESYNATURALIST EXPLORERSItrsquos easier to connect when everyone is excited and engrossed in finding a bird spotting a reptile or simply spending time outdoors Bonding comes naturally because everyone is there with the same passion and curiosityThe more people I meet the more I learn about the natural world and that knowledge has helped me grow as a photographer and a naturalist Many of the friendships I made on the field are still going strong as we continue to explore learn and create together Karan Solanki wildlife photographer AndheriGo greenNaturalist Explorers naturalistexAll Women Nature Walks awnwmumbaiWe Naturalists wenaturalistsProtest buddiesChetan Kamble centre at the student protests in DadarMany like Dadarbased Chetan Kamble found companionship amid testing times during the recent student protests ldquoI was a part of the rally in Dadarrsquos Shivaji Park as well as Delhirsquos Jantar Mantar The atmosphere and the sense of camaraderie in the air was such that even strangers became close friends I helped many young Gen Z protesters connect with legal representatives The supposed DelhiMumbai GenZMillennial divides dissolved and I made some great friends across age groupsrdquo he recalls