If you are searching for a modelling agency in Mumbai because you want to start modelling, there is a faster first step: publish a free ZJELL Models portfolio. ZJELL Models is not an agency — it is an online portfolio and booking-enquiry platform where you keep control of your own profile, and where brands, photographers, casting teams and production houses working in Mumbai can find you and enquire. ZJELL Models is free during its launch phase: no fees are charged to models or clients, and no payments are taken on this website.
Why models in Mumbai start here
Mumbai is the centre of the Indian modelling market and also the hardest to break into cold. Most work is cast through personal networks inside Andheri, Versova and Goregaon, which makes an accurate, searchable online portfolio the single most useful thing an unsigned model in Mumbai can own.
What models actually get booked for in Mumbai
Mumbai carries the country’s TVC and ad film production, the largest share of national print campaigns, both major fashion weeks, and the highest concentration of e-commerce catalogue studios in Goregaon, Malad and Andheri East. It also has the deepest competition, so briefs are specific: casting teams filter hard on height, sizes, look, age band and availability before they open a single face.
- TVC, ad film and digital film
- E-commerce and catalogue
- Runway and designer lookbook
- Editorial and magazine print
- Beauty, hair and skincare
- Music video and OTT promo
Who books models in Mumbai
- Ad film and TVC production houses
- Fashion weeks, designers and editorial
- National e-commerce and catalogue studios
- Film, OTT and music video
- Jewellery, beauty and FMCG brands
Who we are looking for in Mumbai
Everything from fashion-height runway models to commercial and character faces. Mumbai books more mature, plus-size, character and real-people looks than any other Indian city because of the volume of ad film work, alongside the usual fashion and e-commerce requirements. Fluent Hindi and English on camera matters for TVC and OTT.
There is no single ZJELL Models type. Fashion, commercial, e-commerce, fitness, plus-size, mature, character, hand and kids portfolios are all published, and you do not need agency representation or prior credits to start.
What you get — free
- Your own portfolio page with a permanent web address, up to 20 photos, video reel links and a comp card
- A profile that is searchable on city, category, height, measurements, look, languages and availability — the fields clients actually filter on
- Public or Private visibility, your choice: public portfolios are indexed by search engines, private portfolios are shown only to registered clients the ZJELL desk has vetted
- Booking enquiries screened by the desk before they reach you, with your phone number and email never shown publicly
- The Verified badge after an ID and live video check — identity documents are viewed, never stored on the site
- Your rates stay private. Nothing about fees is published on ZJELL Models; you agree terms directly with each client
How to join from Mumbai
- Register on the join page with your email or phone and verify it. It takes a couple of minutes on a phone.
- Fill in your portfolio: display name, headline, category, home base (Mumbai), height, measurements, look, experience, languages and availability.
- Upload 6 to 20 photos — at least one clean headshot, one full-length and one profile — and add reel or video links if you have them.
- Choose Public or Private visibility, then submit for review.
- The ZJELL desk reviews your portfolio within 2 working days. Once approved it goes live, and clients searching for models in Mumbai can send you a booking request.
Photos that work for Mumbai casting
Casting directors in Mumbai open portfolios on a phone between auditions. Lead with a clean headshot, a full-length and a profile; keep filters and heavy retouching out. A short video slate — your name, city, height — on your portfolio does more for TVC casting than another ten stills.
Upload photographs you own or have permission to use. Watermarked agency images, screenshots and heavily filtered pictures are the most common reasons a portfolio is sent back at review.
Areas we cover in and around Mumbai
Set your home base as Mumbai and clients searching this market will find you, wherever in the area you live:
- Andheri West and East (Lokhandwala, Veera Desai, MIDC)
- Versova and Oshiwara
- Goregaon and Malad studio belt
- Bandra, Khar and Santacruz
- Lower Parel and Worli
- Navi Mumbai and Thane
Public or private — you decide
Not every model in Mumbai wants a publicly searchable profile, so the choice is yours and it is required before your portfolio can go live. A public portfolio is the fastest way to be found: it appears in the ZJELL Models directory and is indexed by search engines. A private portfolio is shown only to clients the desk has checked and registered, and stays out of the directory, search results and social previews. You can change it at any time from Manage Portfolio, and the change takes effect immediately.
Safety and how enquiries are handled
- Every account is verified by OTP or email before a portfolio can be submitted
- Every client is vetted by the ZJELL desk before any contact detail is released
- Your phone number, email and address are never published on your portfolio
- Enquiries reach you through the desk, not directly from strangers
- There is no artistic-nude category on ZJELL Models, and models under 18 are handled only through guardian accounts
- See the Terms, Privacy Policy and Model Release for the full position
Models in other cities
ZJELL Models publishes portfolios across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. If you are not based in Mumbai, start here instead: Pune, Goa, Ahmedabad. You can also read how ZJELL Models works for models, browse the model directory, or — if you are a brand or production team looking to book — send a booking request.
Frequently asked questions
Is ZJELL Models a modelling agency in Mumbai?
No, and it matters that you know the difference. ZJELL Models is an online portfolio and booking-enquiry platform, not an agency. We do not represent you, take a cut of your fee or sign you to a contract. You publish and control your own portfolio, the ZJELL desk screens enquiries from clients in Mumbai before passing them to you, and you agree the fee and terms with the client directly.
How much does it cost to join from Mumbai?
Nothing. During the launch phase there is no registration fee, no subscription, no portfolio charge and no commission on any booking. No payment of any kind is taken on this website. Any fee for a shoot is agreed and paid directly between you and the client.
Do I need experience or an existing portfolio?
No. New faces are welcome. Clear, recent photographs taken in daylight on a phone are enough to publish a portfolio. What matters far more than studio images is that your measurements are accurate and your photos are current.
What is the difference between a Public and a Private portfolio?
A public portfolio is visible to everyone and is indexed by search engines. A private portfolio is visible only to registered clients that ZJELL has vetted, to you and to ZJELL administrators; it is kept out of the directory, search results, sitemaps and link previews. You can switch at any time from Manage Portfolio. Note that an image file can still be opened by anyone who already holds its direct link, so do not upload images you would not want shared.
Can I join if I am under 18?
Only through a parent or guardian account, with guardian identification at verification and no direct messaging. Every enquiry involving a model under 18 is handled by the desk with the guardian.
I am new in Mumbai with no portfolio shoot. Can I still join?
Yes. Good phone photographs in daylight are enough to publish a portfolio and start receiving enquiries. If you later want studio images, ZJELL Studio runs portfolio and comp-card shoots, arranged through the desk.