He was working as a civil engineer professional in India. Did the 24-year-old lad ever dream of modelling? Well, probably not! However, destiny had its own plans. Shubham Vaidkar's journey is proof that life-altering things do happen. He now walks on runways for coveted designers.
From earning a mere Rs 3.6 LPA salary to now earning almost Rs 5 lakh every day, Vaidkar has experienced massive financial success. If you look at his before and after pictures, you will be surprised.
In an interview to HT.com, Vaidkar shared that he is a Mumbai boy, born and brought up there. He was in the second year of engineering when he started doing modelling purely for fun. An Instagram reel on modelling got Shubham all curious.
When the idea of modelling occurred to Vaidkar, he weighed around 83-84 kgs. He sent his pictures to several agencies and one of them called him in for a meeting. “They (Referring to the agency) were very blunt and told me I needed to lose weight. They gave me a month, and I worked hard on it. When we met again, they signed me,” he said.
To lose weight, he cut down oily food, sugar and junk food from his everyday diet. He was doing many modelling assignments in India, however, the breakthrough moment came when he got the opportunity to travel to Milan in Italy for Giorgio Armani show.
“I travelled to Milan and Paris for the second time in June 2024,” Shubham shared. “After completing my exams in June, I went to Milan. I was there for two months, he added.
Not finding the modelling work steady, Vaidkar decided to take up a job as a civil engineer that paid him Rs 30,000 per month. Just 6 months into the job, he handed over his resignation to pursue modelling full time. And well, the decision paid off, and how! Today, Vaidkar draws in lakhs for just one day photoshoot.
“Internationally, modelling pays well. For a runway show in Milan, you can earn around €1,500 to €2,000. Campaigns pay much more — around €5,000 to €6,000 for a day, depending on the project. Compared to an entry-level engineering salary, it’s a huge difference,” he said.
Commenting on hardships that one has to endure in the modelling word, Vaidkar shared that the modelling looks glamourous from the outside, however, it involves a lot of hard work. "Reaching the fitting stage itself means you’re already among a small percentage. Even then, shows can cancel you at the last moment. Mentally, that’s very tough to handle,” said Shubham.
“It can get depressing, not getting work,” he elaborated.
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