{
  "id": 11441659,
  "title": "‘Rs 50,000 for 12-hour work’: Actor bought a Mumbai home without ever doing a ‘big role’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/rs-50-000-for-12-hour-work-actor-bought-a-mumbai-home-without-ever",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-02T12:51:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/rs-50000-for-12-hour-work-actor-bought-a-mumbai-home-without-ever-doing-a-big-role-10903831/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the ever-evolving world of Indian television, actor Suuraj Sonik has found a new path to financial success. Despite never landing a major film role, Suuraj claims to have purchased a Mumbai home through micro-drama work, earning up to Rs 1 lakh per advertisement. On his YouTube channel, he asserts that micro-drama makers pay Rs 5,000 for a single day of work, even for supporting roles like nurses or ward boys. With more than 100 micro dramas under his belt as a lead actor, Suuraj is able to generate Rs 50,000 in just 12 hours by taking on 10 jobs, or Rs 50,000 in 12 hours with just five gigs. As television viewership shifts towards short-form content, Suuraj emphasizes the importance of not turning down work without good reason and cautions actors to select platforms wisely. He notes that vertical series, shot in just three days with payments within 15 days, offer an efficient way for actors to find regular work and build income. As the Indian short-form and micro-drama market continues to grow, with 601.2 million people watching digital videos monthly and micro dramas reaching 73.2 million viewers in less than a year, Suuraj's story highlights the potential for actors to thrive in this new medium.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Suuraj Sonik earns up to Rs 1 lakh per advertisement through micro-drama work.",
    "He claims to purchase Mumbai home with micro-drama earnings, not major film roles.",
    "Micro-drama market growing with 601.2 million people watching digital videos monthly."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Archana Puran Singh’s family, earning more than ever with YouTube, buys another Mumbai villa",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/archana-puran-singhs-family-earning-more-than-ever-with-youtube-buys",
        "published": "2026-10-02T09:18:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}