Renowned Marathi actor Prasad Oak, known for his remarkable acting in films and television, recently gave a rare glimpse into the hardships he faced during his early days in Mumbai.
The actor, whose latest film Dharmaveer 2 hit the screens recently, shared details about a time when he was left with no money, no shelter, and had to sleep outside near Chitra Talkies in Mumbai.
In a candid interview with Lokmat Filmy, Prasad Oak and his wife, Manjiri, took the opportunity to reflect on the long and difficult road to success.
While Prasad spoke about the struggles of starting from scratch in Mumbai, Manjiri took the moment to defend her husband against trolls who often mock them for discussing their past.
Prasad shared a heart-wrenching memory, recounting how, after moving to Mumbai, he ran out of money and was unable to pay rent. "I had moved to Mumbai for the first time, and I was staying in a rented room where I had paid three months' rent in advance.
I sold my bike in Pune to pay that rent. But after three months, I had no work, and I couldn't pay the rent anymore. The landlords asked me to leave. I packed my belongings—a plastic bag and a mattress—and headed to Shivaji Mandir.
I kept my things in the balcony and went out in search of work. I even tried contacting my aunt who lived in Mumbai, but she wasn’t answering.
That night, I had no choice but to sit near Chitra Talkies, where all the shops were closed. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep right there.
The next day, I followed the same routine until I finally reached my aunt on the third day and stayed with her for a few months."
While Prasad's tale of struggle is inspiring, it also attracted unwarranted criticism online. In response, Manjiri Oak didn't hold back and strongly addressed the issue of online trolls.
"Whenever we talk about our struggles, people troll us, and it deeply hurts. We only talk about these experiences when we are asked in interviews, and it's not for show.
Prasad has struggled a lot to be where he is today, but it was all a part of our journey to survive and make a life for ourselves."
