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Gajraj Rao used a train to describe what he sees as the old divide in Indian film: a small group of stars rode in first-class AC, while many working actors struggled to find a place. As reported and translated by Hindustan Times after FICCI Frames 2026, he said television networks and later streaming opened more routes to work, recognition and, for some actors, stardom.
Where and when did Gajraj Rao make the comparison?
Hindustan Times reported on October 2, 2026, that Rao made the remarks at FICCI Frames 2026 during a session about crafting clean, character-driven comedy. The report is by Abhimanyu Mathur. The English quotations below are the outlet’s translations of remarks it says Rao made in Hindi; no official event recording or transcript was available to independently confirm the wording.
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What did the train metaphor mean?
Rao contrasted a handful of established stars with the much larger group of actors trying to make careers. In the Hindi quotation reported by Hindustan Times, he described the industry of “25-30 saal pehle” as a train with one AC first-class carriage for stars and “100-200” general compartments where actors had to find a place without a ticket. The figures are part of his approximate analogy, not measured counts of carriages, stars or actors.
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“I feel that till 25-30 years ago, film industry was like a train that had one bogey of AC 1st class. That had all the stars. After that were 100-200 bogeys of general compartments where actors were left ticketless fighting for their place.”
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Hindustan Times attributes this English translation to Rao’s remarks. The image is about unequal access and insecurity: in his telling, having acting ability did not automatically mean a secure berth, steady work or the visibility that came with star status.
How did television and streaming change the picture in Rao’s account?
Television brought more work and recognition
Rao credited the arrival of private television networks, and Ekta Kapoor, with giving actors more respect and employment. He described the change in practical terms—work and cars—rather than presenting it as a claim that television made every actor successful.
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“A few years ago, private networks arrived as did Ekta Kapoor. They gave actors respect, work, and cars.”
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This is Rao’s assessment as translated by Hindustan Times, not a measured account of television’s overall effect on the profession.
Streaming added more berths, and occasional routes into stardom
For the next shift, Rao said the train gained some second- and third-class AC carriages, where actors could get a berth. He placed this change roughly “7-8 years” before his remarks. The metaphor suggests more opportunities than the earlier arrangement, but it does not establish how many jobs streaming created or how broadly those jobs were distributed.
“After that, 7-8 years ago, another change happened and that train now had some bogeys of 2nd AC and 3rd AC too where actors can get berth.”
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He also described some actors moving into the first-class carriage:
“Often it happens that some actor type people enter the 1st AC too now.”
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In context, this is Rao’s way of saying that some actors associated with the wider field can cross into star recognition. It is not a claim that streaming has erased the distinction between actors and stars.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the analogy does—and does not—tell us
The train is a compact account of Rao’s view of changing opportunity: a narrow star tier, a much larger pool of actors seeking a foothold, then television and streaming as additional ways to earn work and reach audiences. The remarks do not provide industry-wide statistics or prove that either medium alone caused a particular career outcome. They are a personal interpretation, reported second-hand in English by Hindustan Times, rather than a comprehensive history of Indian film and television.
Where to watch Dupahiya Season 2
Hindustan Times reported that Rao was appearing in Dupahiya and that Season 2 released on Prime Video on October 1, 2026. The report named Renuka Shahane, Bhuvan Arora, Sparsh Srivastava, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Komal Kushwaha, Yashpal Sharma and Dinesh Lal Yadav in the cast. Availability can vary by region; check Prime Video in your location for the current listing.
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