Mumbai- home away from home for TV actors

"Kuch paane ke liye kuch khona padta hai...."

We are all adept with this filmy dialogue. And we all know the hardship required when it comes to making it big in our career.

And our TV actors are no less. Belonging to different cities, they left their luxurious lives to struggle hard and make a name for themselves. But thankfully, the city of dreams Mumbai has been kind and welcomed them with open arms.

Here we have some of the TV stars talk about the challenges and the beauty of making Mumbai their home.

Paras Madaan:

The biggest difficulty is to live alone without a family in Mumbai. I miss maa ke haath ka khana (food prepared by mom). Mumbai is vast, people are caring and chilled out, compared to Delhi. Here in Mumbai, you can’t party the entire night, or play loud music, while in Delhi, you can do so.

Helly Shah:

I was very young, in my 9th grade when I came to Mumbai from Ahmedabad for my show Gulaal. I used to stay with my maid in Charni Road. And the travelling from Charni Road to Naigaon was very difficult. My parents were not with me in Mumbai, so that was a great challenge. Mumbai is quite different from Ahmedabad because in Ahmedabad people are chilled out, and life is more social. But here in Mumbai, people are very busy; hustle and bustle everywhere.

Jay Soni: 

When I came to Mumbai I faced rejection from everywhere and got fired. I was young when I came to Mumbai. I used to stay with my uncle. I had to unlearn things to adapt well. In my hometown Gujarat, I could speak in Gujarati but here in Mumbai everyone used to talk in English and Hindi, and I was not fluent in English at that time.

Mohammed Nazim:

In Punjab people knew me, I had done videos there. But when I came to Mumbai I had to start from zero. No one knew me here; I had to go for meetings and travelling was hectic. Then accommodation was another problem, I had to stay with five to six boys in a flat and we can’t trust everyone. Punjab means delicious food, enjoyment and fun. But Mumbai means hectic travelling.

Rubina Dilaik:

Along with coping up with my work and the environment of this industry, I had to face many challenges simultaneously. I hail from mountains where atmosphere is tranquil and serene. And it mumbai I had to cope with the heat and the pollution. Life in a metro is very difficult and I had to adjust with this fast life. Then the world of TV and camera was very new, and quite challenging. Mumbai is my karma land but I miss my home, and the peace.

Surbhi Jyoti:

I did not face too many challenges as I was called for the role of Zoya. So, I did not struggle to find a job. But yes, it’s very different from Punjab- food is different, I miss north Indian food. Then people are very simple there, while here it's a super fast world. The climate and weather is also a concern but I am quite happy here.

What's your Mumbai story, do let us know...