Veteran actor Gajraj Rao recently opened up about the challenges he faced as a young actor in the film industry, revealing that he was often underpaid and disrespected by certain executives and assistants.
In a recent conversation with Maniesh Paul, Gajraj highlighted that misbehaviour in the industry often stems from insecurity and a lack of knowledge rather than intentional malice. He pointed out that individuals who are uneducated or unsure of their skills are more likely to be disrespectful, noting that production assistants and executives were often the ones displaying such behaviour.
Recalling an instance from his early days, he shared how he was shortchanged on an advertisement shoot. He had been promised a two-day shoot with a daily payment of Rs 20,000, but after the first day, he was informed that his work was complete and handed a cheque for just one day’s pay. “They don’t understand that I had turned down another job to do this one,” he remarked.

Earlier, in a conversation on Varun Duggi’s podcast, Gajraj opened up about his journey through financial and emotional struggles. He emphasised that his current fees are not just for the days spent shooting but for the years of hardship that shaped him. Recalling an incident where a casting director urged him to lower his fees for a 20-day shoot, Rao responded that he wasn’t charging for those days but for the countless struggles he endured—surviving on minimal food, facing insults, and walking long distances. ” This was my fees for all those days when I survived on 20 chais, slept hungry, listened to abuse, I used to walk on foot from Town to Andheri… These 20 days are free.” he added.