Do you know who is behind the mask or the gold paint? We get four of Mumbai’s faceless entertainers to tell us their life stories
Pic/Kirti Surve Parade
‘Won’t go back till I make it’
He is the Mickey Mouse character dancing on Carter Road, and he has a filmy dream—to become an actor
Prashant Mohanty: Brahmapur, Odisha
Tea seller–check. Watchman–check. Panipuri vendor–check. Mickey Mouse?! Check that one, too! Prashant Mohanty, from Brahmapur, Odisha, has been in Mumbai for over four years and has done a variety of jobs to make ends meet as he tries his luck in the film industry.
“I want to become a spontaneous comedy actor,” he says. When asked who inspired him to pursue acting, Mohanty’s answer was not the usual name one might expect, like SRK or Salman Khan. Instead, his idol is Telugu film star Ravi Teja, known for his roles in action and comedy films.
During the day, he auditions for junior artiste roles. But as the sun sets, he heads to Carter Road dressed in a Mickey Mouse costume, dancing to a mix of tunes—from Tukur Tukur from Dilwale to Levitating by Dua Lipa.
Spotting Mickey in real life, children stop by to dance with him, exchange high-fives, and jump with joy before they continue heading their way. On a good day, the act earns him up to Rs 1,000–1,100. But typically, the earnings range between R400 and R700. The earnings stop completely during the monsoons, when he falls back on other jobs.
Competition is fierce in the film industry, and the struggling 21-year-old has yet to even experience theatre or interact with theatre artists, who comprise much of the high-calibre competition. So far, he hasn’t landed any roles, not even as a background artiste. His roommates, who work as rickshaw drivers and barmen, sometimes envy any progress he makes. But Mohanty remains determined, saying, “I won’t go back till I make it.”
‘I feel god keeps testing me’
You might have spotted him at Bandstand or, a few years back, on TikTok. ‘Silver’ is his name
Vishal Sharma: Hazaribagh, Jharkhand
He had over 1.5 million subscribers on TikTok. The income from ads was good—between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per week, solely from Google and Amazon ads. But the app was banned in India in June 2020, cutting off his steady income source from content creation.
Due to his nearly inactive profile, his follower count dropped to eight lakh, and four years later, only 60,000 followers remain. “I use a VPN to access my account, but it’s not the same as it used to be,” says Vishal Sharma, 22, from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, who many know as the “Silver Man” of Bandstand.
He has been in Mumbai for over seven years, trying his luck in Bollywood. To sustain himself, he puts up an act as a living statue at Bandstand. The highlight of his career came two months ago when he was selected for comedian Samay Raina’s show, India’s Got Latent. However, just before the episode featuring him was set to air, the show became embroiled in controversy.
He says, “After TikTok, this was my one shot at fame... Sometimes, it really feels like god is testing me hard.” Some days, his earnings from the living statue act are just R70-80. On better days, particularly weekends, he earns around Rs 1,000.
During the day, he auditions for acting roles, but says, “The money is poor.” The 22-year-old adds, “Social media is where I am trying to grow.” Holding onto hope, he says, “I really hope the episode gets released.” But he cautiously asks, “Ye kehna theek toh hain na?”
Vishal Sharma was shortlisted for India’s Got Latent’s last episode for his living statue act, but the episode never saw the light of day
‘Can’t tell my family how I survive in Mumbai’
He is a wedding photographer, and a mobile phone repair engineer, too, but singing is where his passion lies
Deep Kumawat: Udaipur, Rajasthan
Soon after we photographed him in his tiny apartment in Khar Danda, which measures barely 100 square feet, Deep Kumawat, 22, said, “Can you blur my face? What if my family sees me in the papers or online? They consider this profession as ‘begging.’”
He began his career as a “light man” for photographers at grand weddings in Udaipur during his teenage years but quickly learned the ropes of wedding photography. Today, his camera set-up boasts the latest gear. “Nine cameras,” he says, including Nikons, Canons, and Sonys, worth around R7-8 lakh, which he acquired with the help of his father, a restaurant owner.
He also holds a diploma from an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in mobile phone repair. Overall, life was good in Udaipur, but he came to Mumbai to pursue his dream of becoming a singer, and has been here for three years now.
Hindi Pop is his favourite genre, and Arijit Singh his idol. With a quaver, a beam note, and a crotchet [musical notes] tattooed on his neck, and “MUSIC” inked on his forearm, Kumawat shares, “I have also been learning to play the guitar.” While he returns to Udaipur during the wedding season, where he earns between R2.5 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh, he comes back to Mumbai once the season ends.
“I invest all my earnings into my [singing] training and survival in Mumbai. My parents don’t know what I do here to get by daily. If they find out, they will call me back,” he says. On a typical day, he earns between Rs 400 to Rs 600, but weekends bring larger footfall to Carter Road, especially children, when he earns up to Rs 1,000.
The aspiring playback singer dresses up as Jerry Mouse (from Tom & Jerry) and Teddy Bear at Carter Road to earn a living in Mumbai
‘Rehab made my life better’
He may not have a life of luxury, but he finds joy in being a living statue after overcoming addiction
Rahul Nat: Panvel, Maharashtra
He is a living statue, but his approach is unconventional—he dances, sings, and often breaks character, especially to make children laugh. He is Rahul Nat, 24, popularly known as “the Golden Man of Shivaji Park”.
His life has been a rollercoaster ride. In 2021. he decided to check himself into rehab after a friend told him that if he didn’t act soon, he might die of an overdose.
“I looked bad because of the heroin and pot [marijuana],” says Nat. He went to a government facility in Santacruz, where he was given de-addiction pills and kept under strict supervision for six months.
A major incentive for admitting himself to rehab was the basic comforts it offered. “You get decent food, care, a bed, and a clean bathroom. Some people I know said that in six months, life would get better,” he explains. Soon, he overcame his drug addiction and decided to earn his livelihood solely as a living statue.
Three years later, his act has provided him with some stability. “I am invited to both private and corporate events. I charge Rs 15,000 for two-three hours at corporate events and anywhere between Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 per hour for children’s birthday parties, depending on the hosts and their affluence,” he says.
He may not have a life of luxury, but he finds joy in what he does. Currently, he worries about his house in Panvel which may get razed due to an ongoing flyover construction.
Nat occasionally dresses up as Golden Woman, too. He can be spotted right in front of the Hindustan Petroleum pump, Shivaji Park
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