Wanted ‘Adjusting’ Wife: Gajraj Rao Says Bollywood Influenced His Idea Of Love

Gajraj Rao, in a recent interview on the Varun Duggi podcast, shared that his perception of romance during his younger years was heavily influenced by Hindi films. He admitted to being an "overly possessive" person, which made women hesitant to date him.

The Badhaai Ho actor acknowledged that the concept of an "ideal woman" portrayed in films had a significant cultural impact, shaping many people's mindsets, including his own, to view romance in a one-sided manner.

During the interview, Gajraj Rao candidly discussed how Hindi cinema shaped his perception of an ideal wife, influenced by the portrayals of actors like Jaya Bhaduri, Rekha, and Parveen Babi. He mentioned the expectation that a wife should be responsible for the household, supportive, and willing to make sacrifices. He acknowledged that such ideals were ingrained in society through films, creating a belief in the enduring bond of marriage.

Gajraj Rao Reflects On Bollywood Influence

Gajraj Rao, who attended an all-boys school, had limited interaction with girls until his theatre days. During this time, he confessed of having numerous one-sided romances due to his romantic ideals being influenced by cinema. However, his over-possessiveness often scared away potential partners who felt overwhelmed by his expectations and intensity in a short period of time.

He acknowledged that his misguided understanding of relationships, based on film portrayals, led him to make mistakes in his approach to romance.

The actor claimed that his life changed while working in theatre, he fell in love with a girl who gave his aimless ambition a proper direction. He claimed that they used to travel for three to four months before she finally sat him down. He admitted that he had no money but that all he knew was that he wanted to follow the romance of films. She asked him, "What do you want to do? In five years, where do you see yourself?" He murmured as he began to perspire, "I will continue theatre." She questioned what he would do to make money and what he would do after that.

Then the actor asked her to marry him, to which she replied, "Where will the money come from?" The following week, the actor conducted several interviews, had them published, and then showed her the outcomes because he was also a journalist. She responded by saying that what he did was for her and not for himself.

And for the first time, he gave himself some thought. She arrived like a lighthouse and guided him to understand that he couldn't be performing in amateur plays while taking out loans from friends and family. His life was altered by the shock he received.

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