'I earn Rs …': High-rise painter shares his monthly income in viral video, leaves netizens shocked

A painter dangling from the side of a high-rise building has unexpectedly become the internet’s latest reality check.

In a now-viral Instagram video, a woman named Saniya Mirza chats with a painter who is calmly doing his job hundreds of feet above the ground, secured only by a safety harness. What starts as a light conversation quickly flips the script on how people look at education, income and success.

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A post shared by Saniya Mirza (@saniya.mirzzaa)

Saniya casually asks him if the harness causes back pain and jokingly hints that he must be earning well to do such a risky job. Without missing a beat, the painter replies that he is perfectly fine, and that he earns Rs 35,000 a month. The number visibly surprises her, and honestly, a lot of viewers too.

But the real twist comes next.

The painter adds, very matter-of-factly, that he is educated and holds a degree. “I have studied too,” he says, quietly pushing back against the stereotype that only people with office jobs or fancy titles are qualified.

As the chat continues, he reveals more about his life. His brother serves in the Indian Army, while his sister works with the Bihar Police. Alongside painting tall buildings, he is also a farmer, and not a small one either. He shares that he makes nearly Rs 10 lakh a year from selling sugarcane, a figure that once again leaves the person filming, and later, the internet, wide-eyed.

The clip struck a nerve online.

Many Instagram users praised his hustle, courage and honesty. One person wrote that while people were busy talking about his pay, they were missing the fact that he risks his life every single day to earn it. Another pointed out how society often judges success only by salary, ignoring safety, education and lifestyle.

Someone summed it up perfectly: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

The video has sparked a bigger conversation about how we view blue-collar workers. Just because someone wears a helmet instead of a tie does not mean they lack education, ambition or financial sense. In fact, many skilled workers, painters, electricians, carpenters and even small shop owners, quietly make good money while keeping the world running.

The high-rise painter did not try to impress anyone. He simply told his truth, and that was enough to shake a lot of assumptions.

Sometimes, it takes a man hanging off a tall building with a paintbrush to remind us that hard work, dignity and smart choices matter far more than labels.