Kiran Rao Says Advertising Job Helped Her Afford A Living In Mumbai, Not Films

Kiran Rao revealed how she made more money by working in advertisements during her initial days in the industry.

Kiran Rao talks about her struggling days in Mumbai.

(Photo Courtesy: X/@kiranraofanclub)

Filmmaker Kiran Rao, who is currently basking in the success of her film Laapataa Ladies, recently opened up about her journey before she entered the film industry. During an episode of the Cyrus Says podcast, Kiran recalled how working in advertisements provided her with financial stability in the initial days.

"I was essentially a gig worker. I'd take on jobs as they came, working as long as they paid, then I'd scramble to find the next, all while stressing about whether my savings would last and if I could cover my rent," Kiran said on the podcast.

When the host mentioned Kiran's about involvement in Lagaan and how it should have been financially rewarding, the filmmaker added, "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.”

During the show, Kiran also recounted how she bought her first car from her father for Rs 1 lakh, adding, "I bought my car from my dad. He sold it to me for Rs 1 lakh. Have you ever heard of that? My father was like, ‘This is the only way you will save money.' We drove it from Bangalore to Mumbai on the newly minted expressway.”

Meanwhile, on the work front, Kiran made her directorial comeback after a decade with Laapataa Ladies. The film is co-produced by Aamir Khan's production house and stars Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel, Sparsh Shrivastava, Ravi Kishan, and Chhaya Kadam in the lead roles.