I work as a freelance professional in Mumbai's entertainment industry. A freelancer is basically a person people feel very reluctant about paying. It normally works like this - you go and meet the people you are going to work with, show a lot of enthusiasm (felt / unfelt) about their project; then you proceed to discuss money. Normally you bring up the topic, which they conveniently overlook. You'll have felt too awkward to mention the amount you'd like to and quote a smaller amount to begin with. The other party (usually the film's/ serial's producer) will look like you've dropped an atomic bomb and he cannot survive. He will though, and even makes you accept a pay cut. By now you're beginning to tire out but you'll need much more cajoling to get everything on paper. Finally you manage to get a promise that you'll get a signed contract. Great news,  right? Wrong. Signing contracts are no big deal. Getting paid is. You'll encounter the most bizarre excuses possible when you try to get paid. Some common ones are:-

My mother died.-

My grandmther died.-

My mother's grandmother died.-


My CA's grandmother died.-

My accountant's aunt is in hospital.-

My wife got burnt.-

I have no blank cheques.-

My bank sent me the cheque book but when the courier came, there was no one home.-My daughter is in hospital.-

I am in hospital.-

I am having another child and need the money for doctor bills.-

My son's father died.-

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