Actor Gajraj Rao recently reflected on his struggles in the film industry, revealing how he was often underpaid and disrespected by executives and assistants during his early years.
Gajraj Rao opens up about being underpaid and disrespected in his early career, how he overcame struggles, and why he refuses to lower his fees today.
Actor Gajraj Rao recently opened up about the struggles he faced as a young artist in the film industry, revealing how he was often taken advantage of by industry insiders. He recalled that executives and assistants were usually the biggest culprits, either underpaying him or treating him disrespectfully. Despite these challenges, he chose to learn from his experiences and move forward with forgiveness, especially when he knew he hadn’t done anything wrong.
While Gajraj Rao gained widespread fame with his role in Badhaai Ho, his journey in cinema began much earlier with Bandit Queen. Speaking with Maniesh Paul, he reflected on the nature of misbehavior in the industry. “In a crowd, the people who misbehave often don’t even know why they’re doing it. And who are the ones who are likely to be disrespectful? The uneducated, the insecure, or those lacking confidence in their skills. Most of the time, it was production assistants or executives who were rude.”
He shared an incident that highlighted the industry’s lack of professionalism. “They would promise a certain amount but then shortchange you. Once, I was hired for an ad film at Rs 20,000 per day for two days. After the first day, they handed me a cheque for Rs 20,000 and told me I wasn’t needed anymore. When I reminded them that I had been contracted for two days, they simply said my portions were wrapped up in one. What they didn’t realize was that I had turned down another job for this commitment.”
Despite years of struggle, Gajraj Rao never allowed setbacks to discourage him. Speaking to Indian Express, he shared his mindset towards success: “I was never disappointed or disheartened about not getting lead roles. I never fantasized about overnight glory. I firmly believe in the old Sanskrit saying: ‘Karmanyevadhikaraste, ma phaleshu kadachana’—focus on your actions without worrying about the results. I dedicated myself to every small role and kept myself engaged in directing ad films. If you only dwell on what you lack, life can become bleak. My approach has always been to celebrate what I have while working towards more.”
Now an established actor, he refuses to compromise on his fees, recognizing the years of struggle that brought him to this point. Speaking on Varun Duggi’s podcast, he recalled how a casting director asked him to lower his fees for a 20-day project. “I told him I wasn’t charging for those 20 days—I was working for free. My fees were for the years of hardship that got me here. The days I survived on 20 cups of chai, went hungry, endured abuse, and walked from Town to Andheri because I couldn’t afford transportation. Those 20 days? They’re free.”
