Dadar to Cannes: This Mumbaikar’s Beach Clean-Up Effort Wins Global Applause

Some people love nature from rolled-up windows, a holiday in the wild, an Instagram feed that catches the eye and other ways of admiring it from afar. Others get down and dirty with it, in the best ways possible. Chinu Kwatra falls in the latter. The man has been in the sands and muck, literally, picking up litter and garbage in an effort to keep Dadar beach clean, for over seven years now. From a few individuals, he’s garnered a 4,000-strong volunteer group, Beach Warriors, comprising folks from all walks of life—students, corporate professionals, local residents and other Mumbaikars—who regularly gather and carry out clean-up drives there. 
On a weekend especially, you will see them walk the length of the whole beach, symbolising powerful movements of community action and environmental responsibility. This is also what caught filmmaker Meghatithi Kabeer’s eye; he made a shorsusssst documentary on Kwatra and his efforts which has just gone to Cannes and received appreciation there. We spoke to Kwatra, who’s happy that the film has reached international waters and hopes it will raise more consciousness on sustainability and the growing concern of keeping beaches clean.

ELLE: From Dadar to Cannes, the efforts of you and Beach Warriors shone bright at the famous film festival. How does it feel? 

Chinu Kwatra (CK): It’s indeed a proud and emotional moment for me and the team! I’m just an ordinary guy from Thane, and this wasn’t even a dream for me. But seeing myself on the screen at the 10th Positive Cinema Week in Cannes is truly magical and surreal. I believe the ocean’s love has brought us here, from Dadar to France. Now, maybe 0.1% of the world will know me and the efforts of my Beach Warriors. When I started the journey way back in 2017, people laughed, but looking at how many have joined me today, I feel like I’ve done something from the heart.

ELLE: How did the film come about? When were you approached for it? 

CK: One of the top scientists in France, Carlos Moreno, had a discussion with Meghatithi (Global Creative Director, Megacities Shortdocs) about how oceans and seas are under grave-threat and we need to highlight positive solutions through tackling this issue in a global short documentary series. Following this discussion in 2024 they decided to make a short documentary series on oceans, sea and cities and the inter-relation between them. Meghatithi is an international documentary filmmaker who along with this Paris based organisation MegaCities ShortDocs is on a mission to create this series. As a resident of Mumbai, he decided to highlight the issue of ‘legacy waste in our sea’ and efforts made to clean it and this is how the film came about. He connected with me to understand and capture our tremendous efforts in cleaning Mumbai beaches. This film Oceans Under Siege is among the first pilot projects of the global series.

ELLE: Your efforts to clean the beach go back a long way. Who all have joined you in that over the years? 

CK: We’ve been cleaning beaches for seven-and-a-half years now, and saved over 4,000 tonnes of garbage from entering the ocean. It’s been an incredible journey as we are now cleaning four beaches every weekend. Many people have joined us, from college students to corporates, homemakers and a number of celebrities. Several stars have also participated, including Dia Mirza (UN Environment's Goodwill Ambassador for India), Raghav Juyal, Kirti Kulhari, Raaftar, Babil Khan, Guru Randhawa, Divya Dutta, Esha Gupta and Adah Sharma. They all feel for the earth and for the environment and it’s truly remarkable to see the enthusiasm and dedication of all volunteers, especially young college students from various parts of the city. We’ve had students from colleges like: SIES College, Kirti College, Kohinoor Business School, Andrews college, Chetna College, and many others. It is heartening to see this grow bigger. 

The film’s screening is a testament to the impact of our work, and we’re excited to take on new challenges and make an even bigger difference.

ELLE: Does this film recognition make you feel even more motivated in your effort to clean the beach?

CK: Yes, this recognition is a huge boost for us. It motivates us to work even harder and continue our efforts to keep our beaches clean. Our recycling efforts are a crucial part of our initiative. We’ve pioneered India’s first MRF for beach waste recycling, transforming plastic waste into usable products. We’re creating school benches from recycled beach plastic waste, which we’ll donate to rural schools across India, completing the sustainability loop. The film’s screening is a testament to the impact of our work, and we’re excited to take on new challenges and make an even bigger difference. This recognition will now help us reach more like-minded people, amplifying our impact and inspiring a wider audience to join our cause.

We’ve done a first-of-its-kind 24-hour beach clean-up, where we didn’t get a wink of sleep and on other days, we pick up 2-3 tonnes of garbage on a single Saturday morning. Over the last seven-and-a-half years we stopped 4,000 tonnes of plastic debris from entering the ocean.

ELLE: Is it especially challenging to clean the beach in the monsoon?

CK: The monsoon actually makes our job easier in a way. The ocean throws out tons of garbage during this time, making it easier for us to pick up. Massive cleanups during monsoons are super effective in saving more garbage from entering the ocean and allowing us to recycle it. We’re pros at cleaning and recycling garbage now, and nothing stops the Beach Warriors! We’ve done a first-of-its-kind 24-hour beach clean-up, where we didn’t get a wink of sleep and on other days, we pick up 2-3 tonnes of garbage on a single Saturday morning. Over the last seven-and-a-half years we stopped 4,000 tonnes of plastic debris from entering the ocean.

ELLE: With Gen Z joining you, would you agree that youngsters are becoming more eco-conscious today?

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A post shared by Chinuu Kwatra (@chinukwatraofficial)

CK: Absolutely! More Gen Z people are joining us and it’s heartening to see them take a keen interest in environmental conservation. They’re more aware and sensitised towards issues like plastic waste management. Unlike many who still litter openly, Gen Z and young school students are learning to take responsibility for their actions, like properly disposing of garbage. So many of them are regulars and say they would rather spend time here at the beach, cleaning than at a café or shopping. They’re setting a great example for others to follow.  

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