D-Towners move to Mumbai for better opportunities

It’s called the city of dreams for a reason, and Mumbai seems to have cast its spell on our established D-Town actors too. As actress Alisha Prajapati puts it, “Mumbai, being the entertainment capital of India, is full of opportunities. Although it’s not easy to survive in Mumbai, there is work for everyone. That’s why I shifted here.” Even though

Dhollywood

’s on a high these days, a lot of filmmakers and actors are now also looking at Mumbai as a bigger platform to showcase their talent. Ahmedabad Times finds out more.
How does Mumbai score over Ahmedabad?
Interestingly, more women actors from Gujarat have shifted base to Mumbai as compared to men.
Actors who shifted a few years back tell us that they weren’t left with any other option, since D-Town hardly offered them enough opportunities back then. Esha Kansara, who is doing TV commercials and Hindi fiction TV shows besides share of Gujarati films, says, “I decided to be an actor when I was 18. At that time, the Gujarati film industry was different and shifting to Mumbai was the only option. I got the opportunity to do some good television shows and when I got to know that people are trying to revive the Gujarati film industry with good content, I came back to Ahmedabad and did some

Gujarati films

too.” She adds, “There are more opportunities in Mumbai. But I am juggling between the two cities and doing projects that interest me.”
Model-actor Vidhi Parikh seconds her, “Mumbai gives that freedom to explore your creative space. I shifted because only after coming to Mumbai that I explored the responsibilities of being a creative director for an ad. I am looking beyond the same monotonous content.”
Shifting base is a risk, but still worth it: actors
Leaving your comfort zone and starting your career from scratch in a new city is never easy. While some people take that risk early in life, others do it a bit late. Mitra Gadhvi, who shifted to Mumbai recently after doing several Gujarati films, shares, “Before Chhello Divas, I was in Mumbai and struggled to get opportunities. But now, I know what it is going to be like. I wanted to try out different roles and so, I came to Mumbai.” He adds, “For auditions or screen tests, I have to travel in taxi to look fresh. Life is difficult here, as the stay and transportation are expensive. But I feel it’s worth it.”
Alisha Prajapati agrees, “Ahmedabad is a smaller city and networking is easy here. But still, only a few actors get the best of Ahmedabad’s events and business. It’s difficult for new stars.” Alisha, who has also done a Hindi film, adds, “It’s a myth that after doing a Hindi film, you are offered roles in different films. It’s also about luck. After Loveyatri, I was introduced to one or two casting directors but nothing concrete happened. I am now hopeful of bagging a good project.”
Good content matters
There’s audience for all kinds of content and with more avenues opening up in the entertainment industry, being in Mumbai seems a practical option for some. Mikhil Musale, who shifted base to direct a Hindi film, shares, “I am directing a Hindi film, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t direct Gujarati films. It’s not about the location, but about the opportunity to come up with good content.”
Agrees Deeksha Joshi, “I love being in Ahmedabad, but I will go wherever my work takes me. I remain grateful to this city for what it has given me, and would come back whenever there’s a good opportunity. Like everyone, I am interested in content-driven projects.”
Taking a holistic view, filmmaker Abhishek Jain shares, “Ahmedabad is home and I will never count myself in the list of people who have shifted base to some other city. But when I was in Ahmedabad, I was travelling to Mumbai every two days and to cut down on the travel, I came to Mumbai. There can’t be any comparison between the two cities in terms of opportunities and professionalism. It’s quite simple— if you want to make something mainstream, you have to come to Mumbai and when you want to make something in Gujarati, you have to be in Gujarat. Good content can happen anywhere.”