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A Struggler’s Guide to Survival in Mumbai
iView Author:
Srinivas N(Mumbai , India)
Email:
Withheld
A Struggler’s Guide to Survival in Mumbai
Okay. I may not officially qualify to be a “struggler” anymore as by gods grace, I have a decent roof on my head and a gaddi under my ass but in a way, I am still a struggler who is struggling to make my name. But over the last few years, I did struggle a lot and would like to compile a few do’s and don’t for strugglers. I would appreciate it if readers too contribute to this post with their comments as I am bad with remembering names.
As everyone knows, there are thousands of people who arrive in Mumbai every day looking for better livelihood. Majority of them are either construction laborers or people who want to work in the entertainment industry.
Some come here loaded with dads money and some penniless. Let’s forget the loaded guys and concentrate on the penniless.
There are different kinds of strugglers. Struggling actors, struggling directors, struggling writers, struggling for anything but want to be a part of the movie business kind of strugglers etc.
Most of them who come here have a friend or a relative living in Mumbai. If god forbid your friend or uncle stays in Bhandup or Vasai, then immediately take a train pass but atleast you have a roof. But if there is a time limit for you to enjoy free food and home, then better start looking for a place immediately around the Andheri belt.
Deposits. Unless you find someone who already has paid a deposit and wants a room mate to share the rent, this is going to be a challenging task. Even for a PG accommodation, the broker takes his commission plus a deposit.
Take a look at Mid-Day’s classifieds and you will find cheap PG accommodations ranging from 1500 to 5000 rupees in the Mira Road - Andheri belt. Usually they ask for a 3 month deposit for PG accommodation. If you don’t even have that, there are some lodges near Goregaon (W) station where you can take a room for around 3000 rupees for a month! Well, try to buy your own bed sheets ;)
If you are a group of friends and can afford deposits of around 25,000 rupees to 50,000, there are lot of cheap one room kitchen apartments available ranging from 3000 to 5000 per month. The 3000 ones can be found near Ram Mandir Road, Goregaon (W), Near Film City, Goregaon (E). Malad has become expensive these days but Goregaon is the best bet as most of the film offices are near to this area.
Opposite Oshiwara bus station is a group of SRA flats where you can get a one room kitchen flat for 5000. Deposits can be negotiated as most of the flats belong to slum dwellers but who, once they get a flat again shift to a slum! So if someone knocks on your door and asks you who is staying there, better remember the house owner’s name.
Three people can easily fit in a one room kitchen flat. Remember, all you need is a place to sleep. so if it’s a 3000 rental place, all you spend is around 1000 rupees per month plus electricity and maid which will be around 200 to 300 rupees extra. But find dependable room mates!
Patliputra in Oshiwara was affordable to strugglers a few years back but now due to the “other” glamour industry and film offices, the rental rates have increased to around 13,000 rupees. This place can be the next step for struggers.
Okay. Now you have a roof, how about food? The best option is to cook your own food. If you start eating outside, you won’t be left with any money to pay your rent. Find a room mate who can cook :)
Okay, if cooking is ruled out and you start making a little bit money, there is Guru Da Dhaba in Lokhandwala but now its become a little expensive. Try any udipi restaurant which serves south indian thali for 35 rupees.
If 35 rupees is still expensive, there are a lot of places which have dal rice where a plate costs from 10 rupees to 15 rupees. Don’t worry about hygiene, the strugglers stomach becomes quite immune to everything soon :)
Make sure that you don’t have anything fancy for breakfast. A vada-pav or samosa-pav is quite filling and just costs 4 rupees.
Then comes the entertainment part. Daaru. If you can’t take daaru to your place, there are lot of quarter system bars where you will find dirt cheap liquor in Malad, Oshiwara, Linking road etc.
Usually a quarter costs 10 or 20 rupees extra than the wine shop rate. But then you get lot of complimentary snacks. Chakli, peanuts, papad etc. But try not to spend from your own pocket. Find a friend who just got an assignment or a money order from home. (I would request readers to suggest names and addresses of cheap and good bars)
Next. Transportation. Learn to walk! It’s good for health. But remember to take a train pass which is around 150 rupees per month. Even BESt buses have introduced a pass system now but find out the details.
Finding work. A very important thing. Don’t let anyone know except your friends that you are in deep shit! Don’t sound desperate when you go looking for work. Make sure you invest in good clothes and DON’t SMELL!
And, if you are really serious about becoming a director, writer…resist the tempation to work full time in any production house which makes life easier but then, you also become part of the statistics and your dream goes down the drain. Wait, but work only in the field you wish to excel in. Meanwhile for survival, freelance for production work which keeps you going.
For actors, it’s a different ball game. Apart from everything, you got to look good, be fit and have money to invest in a portfolio, thousands of copies of photographs. This is the most toughest job and I really admire these “actor” strugglers.
Even though there are lot of opportunities for new actors now, the supply is in excess of the demand. When you go to film offices, make sure you don’t give out too many of your photographs. One would do if they really like you, they would take a screen test. It’s a different thing if its a big production house but if its one of those Oshiwara, 4 Bungalow film offices, be careful with your copies.
Struggling actors should seriously consider having an alternate source of income. You need to pay your gym fees, be seen in the right places, afford coffees in Baristas, print thousands and thousands of copies of your photos and all this takes serious money. One actor I know doubles up as a real estate agent. He makes good money as commissions.
Female struggling actors? Well…this is shaky ground. It requires lots of guts and will power to be this breed. Everyone looks at you like an easy lay, a piece of flesh. Beware, ALMOST all the big film makers WANT to sleep with you and sometimes are very direct about it! If you don’t want to cooperate, you can forget about it!
Unless you are a beauty paegent winner, most of the heroines had latched on to hero’s & producers/directors to make it big.
I really don’t know what to say but looks like only a few get through without “compromising”.
So…to help your struggle, find a bakra. A rich boyfriend but keep him at an arms length, always dangling the carrot and ONLY allowing him to sniff it but not eat it. Okay okay…this is just a suggestion but there is a way to even avoid this. There are lot of modelling assignments for print and you can make OK money and get by.
Also, you can try for south indian movies! You will find hundreds of the south producers and directors coming to Mumbai every week to sign heroines. Some sign heroines who “cooperate” and some are serious film makers who just want a good looking face.
But remember one thing. If you make it big, don’t become an assole like everyone else. :)
Treat strugglers and newcomers with respect. If someone visits your office, just give him two minutes of your time. Even if you don’t give them work, they will be encouraged to carry on their struggle.
Just remember, struggle is eternal. Just enjoy the “life” you have. Staying alive is the biggest success you can dream of.
64 Responses to “A Struggler’s Guide to Survival in Mumbai”
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hi, it was nice to read ur artical that some one writing about strugglers.
thanks for giving detail of the places.
one more thing that i know about mumbai,
mumbai akdam denger place,
you will servive if u got the pace,
you got to fast u got to be tez,
u got to be shana to win the race,
a song from bombay boys
coming to mumbai to be a struggler.
thanks once again.
bye and take care and keep on struggling.
a topical post,liked the spirit of it …keep it burning…
Srinivas/was/va
your name keeps changing with each post like mine:)
you seem to know what you are talking about
but why don’t you go in depth into each ‘area’ of struggle, would make for a better peek into a struggler’s life?
would love to hear more from the horse’s mouth!
BTW, spin’s quote of BombayBoys reminds me… anyone know if the movie has a DVD out somewhere? Have yet to find one.
- Spin, to continue where you left
aye ghabrane ka nahin,
give it in the face,
woh kay bolta he,
jaisa des waisa bhes
fantastic article dude.
u forgot the super popular watering hole ‘Adarsh Bar’ near Lotus Petrol Pump :d
Is Topaz too high class for the struggler? or only where tourists and diamond merchants go?
Dabba
Topaz is too expensive for the Struggler Srinivas is talking about.
There is a Lodge near Bandra Station. Its a legendary place where people like Dev Anand & other big stars have lived during their struggle. Its across the street from Lucky Restaurant. I almost ended up living there. The location is best. I highly recommend this place the 1st month you are in Bombay.
BANDRA is the center of Bombay. You can go to Andheri for work & go to town to have a pitcher at Cafe Mondegar. Since you are such a struggler, go to bandstand with the 1 Litre Coke bottle & mix some Old Monk in it.
in regions like panvel, kalamboli u get 1 BHK’s for 2-3ks (share with few friends) .. but travellin wud be a problem !!
wen i came to mumbai from TN , i just cudnt get used to the locals. up down to UD mantunga was really bad initially.
18 years in TN .. i dont remmber seeing someone dead othr than in few funerals!!
mumbai,i used to see minimum - 4 dead .. hit by trains, electric line.. etc etc … kept under the over bridge . with a white cloth over it all blood stained!!!
all this reached the peak wen i was a witness to an accident, a middle aged family man looking in the opposite direction of the track was hit by a local from behind, saw him fall like a vegtable on to the platform and blood spurting out of his head!! i stood frozen .. someone in front of me was testing a digicam and ended up capturing the accident live .. the pics were shown in the Times of india the following day!!!
WARNING
pls find some place inside the train, while travelling and DONT cross the tracks ..at any cost ,..
STRUGGLE is not worth it… struggle safe.
@ mainak -
my tryst with old monk at bandstand happened when I was 17, but the hijras interrupted and pissed all over it.
last time i was a “struggler” in Bombay was 3 years ago, when people took me to Topaz.
@ george -
sorry u had to witness it, but u may have to try and figure out a way to re-create it and put it in a short film. from all the bollywood films of the 70s and 80s, i had such a morbid fear of crossing the train tracks, cos i knew, the tracks would change and my leg would get caught and mera raam naam satya hai ho jata.
That was a neat post. Thanks.
Fatela Jeb Sil Jayega , Jo Chahega Mil Jayega
Apne bhi din Ayenge Chote, Accha Khasa Hil Jayega
I guess SRA rocks bigtime for strugglers..You can try the ones @ Andheri and Aarey keeping your work in mind..The new to join the list is @ BKC .. Newly Constructed ;) @ 3K..Cheap and Best.. Or try Bharat Nagar @ Bandra East.. Amongst Distant places - Vasai/Mira Road on Western suburb and Kalamboli/Panvel on Harbour is the best bet.
Food :
Sasti Dawat Udaani ho to try places like Mahim, Bandra Station, Nagpada, MohdAli Rd.. Sasta Treat Baghdadi Zindabad.
Kuch na Mile to try Mahim ke Hotel…Free mai Khilate hai but Charsi dude log ki full team rehti hai..Also there are some nice Non-Veg stalls.. They charge though :D ..
Some quick recipe that can be made @ Home = Rice..
Just learn to cook plain rice.. 2 Rs ke Dahi Khareed aur Kha Dahi Rice.. 10 Rs ka Station se Kheema Khareed aur Kha Kheema Rice..Options are unlimited Rajma Rice , Sambar Rice wateever you want too.. Sasta Sundar and Poshtikta se Bharpur.
KApde ke Liye Chor Bazar, Fashion street, Dedh Galli best for Sasti Show shine.. Waise idhar Mumbai ka so called “ELITE” crowd bhi dikhega bargaining…
Gaadi wale struggler ke liye– Cheap Petrol @ Dharavi..This was highlighted in a Newspaper..Secondly all strugglers can get together and travel in a single Gaddi.. Area of interest alag hona chahiye– Petrol ka kharcha share karo..Actor/Director/Editor sab ek hi gaadi mai– Complete package Saath mai ghum raha hai..Bade Saab Pack up bole to pura unit car mai..:D ..Par Saab log ko channel V ke bina package complete kaha lagta hai..Isliye Ek Heroin bhi rakho saath mai..
Talk abt making a short film abt a struggler in mumbai.. Not abt his struggles but his Kam paise mai Style Bhai Life..
Good article…
“I really don
lage raho “strugglerbhai”
hi Sriniva,
Thats really a nice post..What you do for living?????
well i live in mumbai and work to..but i have a dream to become a freelance script writer what do u suggest…For me to stay in mumbai is not struggle for now ..with gods grace I have a my own house and a job to better living …please let me know man…
(Secondly all strugglers can get together and travel in a single Gaddi.. Area of interest alag hona chahiye
gr8 article yaar… any idea how to approach for serious roles..??? coz though my gal friendsss say that i m cute… but i want to do some serious roles… hehehe… something BHAI types.. any suggestion guys??? :d
or something like irrfan khan does.. he is just GR8….
- Niranjan, Irrfan Khan has struggled for 17 long years to get the roles you see him in today. For actors theater(maybe not) and television (definitely) are other opportunities that should seriously be considered. But if one is looking only to become a hero, then yes, this post should be pasted on the wall as a “guru mantra” along with enough money hidden somewhere that will buy you a return ticket if destiny has other plans for you.
hi oz
some suggestions for script writers sir ..please post
oz has stolen words from my mouth (meri mooh ki baat cheen liye hai bhai ne). spot on!
niranjan // irfan khan struggled for ages before he could become warrior irrfan khan the gr8. kamla ki maut, doctor ki maut, aur bhi bahut saare maut marna pada ussko.
OZ… dont u think today’s television shows really sucks big time… in recent past this small screen has not proved up to the mark to make it to big screen… i dont have problem for my survival in mumbai.. coz i m earning decent amount for my food n shelter.. but want to join some gr8 theatre group.. before the big battle
guru da dhaba is so small that u cant spot it easily. but the food is great. if u miss home made food desprtly, this is the place to go. but now its become bit expensive.
gr8 post.telling ’strugglers’abt the pros n cons of the world they want to step in without actually demotivating them.
hey……….
its great man i mean someone who is planning to be there its like a tourist guide thans a ton hope to get somethin on how to approach different studios like we cant just enter their like actors who go to drop photo what about director and writer etc……
Niranjan
there r theatre groups who perform quite regularly like Ekjut(nadira babbar’s).also at prithvi/ncpa u’ll find many good theatre groups.happy Struggling :)
motilal nagar jindabad
Akeyla….
I have one friend who is from Ekjute… but not very good response… dont want to mention here wht he said… learning was good but….. planning to start watching plays every weekend now atleast .. .anyways.. thanks yaar… :)
While the struggle of many Bollywood actors is part of Bollywood folklore,its the stuggle by people behind the camera thats gone unnoticed and unreported.
We all struggle in life for something,could be regarding work,relationships,etc.But its the stuggle to get recognised in the highly competitive film industry is what makes a lot of talented people travel to Mumbai.
Sriniva N, a certain Mr.W.Kumar would have found the info in this post very useful;)
While Hotels in Mumbai are expensive and limited,food is not a problem.On my short and frequent trips to Mumbai,I’ve found Roadside food fresh and tasty,esp the the stuff Mumbai is known for.
One place I,ve spend many evenings in is the Bar above Barista on Linking road followed by fried fish at the Sardarji stall nearby.That Bar has shut down now.
Srini, I don’t know how well u’ve ended ur struggle but here’s an idea: Why dnt u extnd this piece to a fultu book in all the vernaculars
hello everybody,
realistically i suppose i am an alien of this space provided.but i find quite a few supportive and helpful mates over here;in this forum.
keeping this in my mind,i would like to forward a few queries stuck in my mind.
firstly what all are the “basic” instruments required for making a short film\documentary..
can i also get to know about the costs involved in buying of these instruments.by instruments i am also includingthe film editing instruments..
i am dying to plunge into the depths of film-making and so i felt that there can be no better way other than from starting over here..
i would be grateful if i am some kind of information!!
am i really expecting some kind of a help!!
Considering so many of you are struggling in Mumbai,
[that we too struggle this side of the Atlantic has to be another post ]
Why don’t ALL of you get together?
Create a loose PFC SUPPORT GROUP??
Once a week have a Langar or something, cook together, share, help one another,watch films, exchange info,encourage etc??
If I was there I’d arrange picnics to de-stress all of you….entertainement for teetotallers :d
Actors will get to meet Directors,
Directors will get Assistants,
Assistants will get girlfriends,
Girlfriends will get support,
Producers will get bashed up by angry boyfriends,
Which will create enough stories for Writers,
and so on….
Talent is all around you and with you ain’t it??
Seems to me a Revolution is waiting to happen…..
:d:d:d
revolution is not going to happen but it had long started the moment we were selected to transcend the knowledge of our ancestors into a higher level..
you see flowers are always found floating in the air by some steep slope higher up on the mountain..
so the talent is to reach up to the top and then not plucking the flower but more appropiately njoying the serenity flowing out of it..
that is the point were most people go wrong..
still,if the questions above mentioned can be clarified;then i would be more than grateful.
WOW!!! waht a nice putup, loved it “always dangling the carrot and ONLY allowing him to sniff it but not eat it.” ha ha ha :))^:)^^:)^
LOVEED the bit about “sasta khana”. Bless your soul!!!
Kavita,from your blogs I gather the one struggle that you face is to get the requisite quorum of five people to get a movie show started:)
Otherwise, I suppose the struggles are similar,be it Bollywood or Hollywood.
Horny producers and compromising actors,
ignored writers and insecure directors,
sab kuch same hai:d
Kavita
Good thought. looks like u r in the US. u cd plan something like this here. count me in. i live in NJ.
Abhra
arun:
how perceptive of you :)
sab kuch shame shame hai !!
abhra:
me in DC, write to me@blog and we can deffy meet up.
nadir:
all the info that u need,am sure Srinivas n Co will be able to offer.
ps: how abt becoming zenith?
Srinivas, looks like there is no other place in the whole of Mumbai except Oshiwara;from food to lodging to everything is here, according to you… perhaps you must be having friends there who are giving you wrong info or you stay there.. you are talking about 5 years back when the place had just started booming due to overflows from lokhandwala. Now its f..expensive.. a one room kitchen as you have mentioned is not for 5000 anymore but 8000 -10,000 and a one bed room is anywhere between 15-16000.. and the entire andheri belt is extremely concentrated..SO PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN COMING TO MUMBAI HAVE TO SHIFT TO MALAD AND HENCE TOWARDS BORIVALI SIDE.. And yeah guru da dhaba is delicious for food except you have to wait for your turn [sometimes for hours] since the entire dilli petu crowd who don’t get to eat dilli food occupy the place for hours.. :d
Aur yari road is a very good area, every struggler should live there once in their strugglig times.. even rents are decent.. just don’t go towards towered buildings like Poseidon, stick to small small huts just near the Barista area….If you are lucky you get a place to stay there as its too heavily concentrated with strugglers and celebrities alike.. but at this point in time for fresh arrivals, Borivali and beyond is the best option.
And if the struggle gets to your head and one feels like having a drink at cheap rates than Shankari at Juhu - versova link road for guys and for girls Pop Tates at Seven Bunglows is highly recommended :d :d :d
Very nice article and informative too….
Gajendra Bhai,
This thread is nothing less than that GAADI…
Iam sure sab hai idhar, Actor, Editor, Director, Critics 2-3 Dozen hai.. Bhai, Aap Batao aap ko kya chahiye..Gaadi ka Bandobast mai kar dunga..
Calling all strugglers for a trip to Jaipur .. Ref Post # 16..
No kidding
Get a Rickshaw or a taxi. It will solve all of your problems.
:-D
How about all strugglers getting together and Chande ke paise se movie banana… As GJ said, fayda hua to sabka hoga..
I dont know if it makes sense but say 50 Lakh ka Budget ho movie ka.. and 50 lakhs generated from PFCites..
Sab struggler ko Fokat mai chance :)
Incase of Profit- Kaddu Kate to sabme Bate..
Incase of Loss — Thodi Thodi Sabki FATEGI
Gajendra S
Bombay-to-Jaipur
[ Audio ]
Challa Challa Ray Dah-river Gaadi Holay Holay…..
Engine Ki Seeti May Mahro Man Dolay :p
Alone
LOU the idea. Story session on the way to Jaipur or first begging then writing?
Post # 46 has nothing to do with the Jaipur trip.
Begging if required we can outsource :D
Baki Writing, Editing Story etc etc sab dekh lete hai..PFC pe hai Talent.. Sasta bhi aur Mehenga bhi.
are koi ahmedabad, gujarat me bhi hai? jis se main mil saku, filme dekh saku, ideas exchange kar saku ya phir ek short bana saku?
kya gujarat me se main ek akela hi PFCite hoon?
Alone … go ahead. I put in 15 lacs, 10 lac mktg. ke liye alag se, my own script would be ready by Mid-Jan, I as director but all assistant positions are available , Koi aur Director talented hua toh main asstt. director ke liye bhi taiyar hoon, Post production studio and music will be roped in from Jaipur. Actors??????? 2-3 boys and 2-3 gals, 25-30 yrs of age… Baat aage badhe toh script share kar sakta hoon…What next.
hey gajendrabhai… as gujarat govt. is giving subsidy to films made in gujarati.
have you checked availibility of subsidy in Rajasthan? this may be helpful to you
Shailesh… subsudy could be for regional films and not films made here. Still I would check this. Thanks
Jai Ganesh - a single theatre located at Mulund (E), just near the station, has new movies every week. You can see them at very low rates - Stall - Rs. 30, Balcony - Rs. 40.
Good sound and picture quality.
You can see 4 films at a cost of 1 film in the mall.
Current week - Aja Nachle
Next week - Wellcome.
Okay. First things first…My name is Srinivas N! Where did the “S” in Srinivas go missing? Mods? Can you edit that please?
Okay…As I am travelling, will not be able to reply to many of you guys, once I am back home, will comment in detail…The bloody Wi-Fi is too expensive here…The best part of my trip was I met a major hollywood star (not telling you who ;) ) and actually managed to have a long conversation with him!!
Okay…see you all in a few days!! Till then, Jaagte Raho!! Struggle Zindabad!!
Gajendra Bhai,
I dont knw what i can do.. Humne to kabhi 1 min ki movie tak nahi banaye hai..Part time FREE assistant, advise chahiye and JUGAD karna rahega to hum kaam aa sakte hai..Lets start the link and network first.
Chalo shuruwat karte hai unit ka jugad karne mai
If you can laydown exactly what all you would need apart from
assistant’s and 2-3 boys and 2-3 gals, 25-30 yrs of age aur kya?? “character” ka thoda adan pradan kare to talent hunt chalu kare..
Alone… lets spread the word around. Those interested will have to take initiative and contact. We can communicate thru PFC initially. Later may echange email IDs. Waiting for the third person in the network to come forward. First two are u and me.
I dont get this. Where do we see the genuinely genuine good new english movies for a cheap amount in a hall?
:-?
its good,actually very good,,hope It will open eyes fr them who just arrived in mumbai…and also help them a lot..fr ASPIRING actors :)>-
Gajendra S
Hello sir ji… well I am a theatre actor.. doing theatres since my school/college days… and recently acted in 2 short films … out of that one was for PFC 2nd day.. “Cacography” … and have 1-2 short films in hand… i would love to work on ur project… can u please update me about ur script…
thanks:)
Niranjan… good to hear from you. Can you send me the link to your other films. Will get back to you with more details after watching them. My email: gshrotriya[at]yahoo[dot]com
Gajendra S Shrotriya,
Good to hear that you are planning to work on a proj…well i can assist you in whatever way i can …..if you want you can reply me back (i have mailed you ..)…
Wow.
I almost feel like watching “Satya” again.
the article is quite motivating and impressive to me. i was planning to goto mumbai in the month of september 2008. although i am an average looking person but still i believe acting has nothing to do with looks. looks are meant for modelling. i believe the film is a reflection of the real world and it is true … “whatever exists… is beautiful..”. thank you. all the best!
Your article is really fantastic for budding artiste.
One thing which i have noticed is, you haven’t mentioned about male model’s struggle and do’s and don’ts for male models. it will be great if you mention it
I really found it valuable and some my doubts now cleared
thanks a ton