Hitendra Shamji Gada

You’ll find me on Film City Road, right across from where the Homeguard station is. Being at Nati Seva Sadan Road means there’s a lot of traffic passing by all the time, especially with all the studio activity nearby. I’ve been running things here as Hitendra Shamji Gada for a good while. My shop or office—it’s a bit of both—is where I spend most of my waking hours. It’s not a polished environment. There are boxes stacked in the corners and the furniture has seen better days, but it’s where the work happens. I deal with all sorts of people, from local residents to folks working in the film industry who need something in a hurry. I try to keep things moving quickly because nobody likes to wait around. I don’t go for big marketing pitches or anything like that. I just show people what I have and we go from there. Some days are slow and I spend them organizing my stock or catching up on accounts, and other days it’s a constant stream of people through the door. I’ve learned that being reliable is more important than being flashy. I know the local area well, I know my neighbors, and I just try to be a helpful part of the community. It’s a simple life, focused on daily trade and making sure my customers leave with what they were looking for. I am usually here from early morning until late.