Saloni Daini Opens Up About 'BOM COM', Friendship, Ambition And Life In Mumbai: Exclusive

What happens when the dream of moving to Mumbai collides with the realities of crowded locals, tiny apartments, and everyday chaos? For actor-comedian Saloni Daini, that contrast became the inspiration behind 'BOM COM', a fun and relatable Instagram mockumentary. In this conversation with Jayveer Singh, Saloni talks about the real-life experiences that shaped the series, her journey in Mumbai, and why comedy was the perfect way to tell this story.

Excerpts...

BOM COM is inspired by the small-town-to-Mumbai journey. How much of your own experiences made it into the series?

I shifted to Bombay from Pune, so while I'm not originally from Bombay, I've spent a lot of my life here. I've also seen so many of my friends from the industry come to Mumbai from different towns and experience the city in a completely different way than those of us who grew up here with our families.

A lot of their experiences, along with some of my favourite Mumbai moments, have made their way into BOM COM. So while the story isn't completely autobiographical, there's a lot of truth and familiarity in it. A lot of the situations come from things we've either experienced ourselves or seen happen around us.

Photo Credit: Instagram

Mumbai is called the city of dreams. What's the reality of chasing those dreams that people rarely talk about?

I genuinely believe that if you really believe in your dream and have the passion to pursue it, one day you will achieve it. But at the same time, Mumbai is an extremely tough city to survive in, especially when you're new and trying to build a career in an industry like ours.

If you don't have a backup plan or aren't financially prepared, it can become very difficult to make ends meet. So I feel it's important to come to Mumbai with a proper plan. Dream big, but also understand the reality of the city and give yourself some stability while you're figuring things out.

Why did you choose comedy and the mockumentary format to tell this story?

Comedy is something Radhika and I both relate to the most. Both our pages are rooted in comedy and relatable content, so it felt natural for us to tell this story through that lens.

This was also our first micro-series, so we wanted to do something that felt comfortable and authentic to us.

How much of the friendship between the two leads reflects your real-life bond?

A lot of it, honestly. Radhika and I became friends through content creation, and we clicked almost instantly. There was a very natural comfort between us, which I think comes across on screen.

Some of the banter, the way we react to each other and even certain little moments are very much inspired by our actual friendship. She genuinely feels like a sister to me, so bringing that equation into the series felt very effortless.

Photo Credit: Instagram

What was one Mumbai experience that you knew had to be included in BOM COM?

Honestly, there were so many! The local trains, eating vada pav at an Andheri vada pav stall, sitting at Marine Drive, dealing with landlords and house help, living in tiny flats, all these very everyday Mumbai experiences had to be there.

These are the things that make up the real experience of living in Bombay, especially when you're new to the city.

How has Mumbai changed your idea of success and your career goals?

Mumbai has pushed me more and more towards my goals. There's something about waking up every day and seeing so many people chasing their dreams that automatically makes you want to chase yours harder.

I've also started loving the fast-paced life here. I do like slowing down sometimes, but only for a little while. I eventually need my Bombay back! I think the city has given me both comfort and inspiration, and it has definitely made me more ambitious about what I want to achieve.

What was your biggest culture shock when you first moved to Mumbai?

For me, it was probably how fast everything moves. Mumbai is constantly on the go, and everyone seems to have somewhere to be, something to do and a dream they're chasing.

Coming from Pune, I was used to a slightly slower pace, so adjusting to that energy took some time. But eventually, I started enjoying it.