Filmmaker Kiran Rao recently opened up about her early struggles in Mumbai, revealing that advertising, not feature films, played a crucial role in helping her make ends meet. In a candid discussion, Rao shared that there was a time when she was genuinely concerned about being able to pay her rent.
Rao, known for her acclaimed film “Dhobi Ghat” and her contributions to Indian cinema, explained that working in advertising provided her with the financial stability she needed. Despite her passion for feature films, it was the steady income from advertising projects that allowed her to sustain herself in the expensive city of Mumbai.
Spilling the beans on the podcast Cyrus says, she revealed, “I used to be a gig economy worker. I would get a job, work as long as it paid, and then look for another job, worrying whether my savings would last and if I could pay rent.” She continued, “Feature films didn’t pay. It was advertising that paid me the money to live in Mumbai. With Lagaan, the first AD system kind of started coming in.”
She recounted her worries about covering basic expenses and how advertising work offered a much-needed lifeline. This period of her life taught her valuable lessons about perseverance and financial management.
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