An Instagram video by Jagrat Thirwani has gone viral for humorously highlighting the financial shock of living in Mumbai. Thirwani jokes that instead of chasing dreams, newcomers focus on paying the city’s skyrocketing rent, a reality many viewers confirmed in the comments.
Mumbai has been marketed as the city where dreams come true for generations. However, reality often comes with a rental agreement rather than an opportunity for many immigrants.
Instagram user Jagrat Thirwani’s amusing video has gone popular because it effectively conveys the financial shock that frequently comes with living in India’s financial capital. Thirwani addressed the city’s infamously high housing expenses with a blend of irony and candour, resonating with thousands of young workers, students, and aspiring artists.
Thirwani is shown in the now-viral video standing inside an apartment without a balcony, which many tenants find basic. He conveys a humorous message for anyone considering relocating to Mumbai using the flat as a backdrop.
He joked that after moving to the city to pursue his goals, he soon found that his primary worry was the skyrocketing rent. He claims that many newbies end up concentrating on a more pressing objective—somehow making ends meet each month—instead of pursuing ambitions.
Thirwani ends by encouraging people to dream in a way that does not need moving to Mumbai, implying that life may be significantly less stressful in this way. He does this with exaggerated patriotism and comedic timing.
While the video was clearly intended to be entertaining, viewers quickly pointed out that it addressed a serious topic. Mumbai remains one of the country’s most costly property markets, with many households devoting a large amount of their income on rent, deposits, and broking fees.
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Internet Reacts
The comments section quickly filled up with folks having similar stories. One user summed up the challenge by saying, “Mumbai does not test your talent first, it tests your bank balance.”
Another said, “The rent here can make even the strongest dreams feel weak,” a third said, “This is funny, but also painfully true for everyone living in a tiny room and paying half their salary.”
Others highlighted the hidden costs of moving to the city. “People come to Mumbai to build a career, but end up calculating rent, deposit and broker charges all day,” one user remarked.
Despite being humorous, Thirwani’s video has struck a chord because it depicts a reality that many immigrants are all too familiar with: in Mumbai, the toughest obstacle is sometimes not chasing your dreams at all, but rather having the money to do so.