Actor Sonu Sood recently travelled aboard the Vande Bharat Express and used the occasion to reflect on his early days as a struggling actor — when unreserved train journeys from Nagpur to Mumbai meant sleeping on newspapers near the toilet. Sharing a video on Instagram, Sood offered a personal tribute to the transformation of Indian Railways.

What Sonu Sood Said

In the video, Sood spoke directly to the camera, describing the Vande Bharat experience as a marker of national progress. 'We are travelling by Vande Bharat and all I can say is, it's a phenomenal growth in terms of railways and the kind of quality, the kind of food that's been served, the staff, the kind of love that they give,' he said.

He went on to recall his early years: 'I studied in Nagpur and left for Mumbai to become an actor. Maximum time reservation was not there. So, just like that, we used to get long folded computer papers, then at night, we used to sleep on the newspaper and pass the time.'

Sood concluded with a message of appreciation: 'I don't think we need to sleep on the newspaper near the toilet because, you know, it's very, very organised now. Just want to thank you for the great work that you've been doing. Keep doing such amazing work. All this is very important for the development of our country.'

A Growing Trend Among Celebrities

Sood's post is part of a broader pattern of public figures endorsing the Vande Bharat Express on social media. A few days earlier, actor Raveena Tandon skipped a flight and chose the Vande Bharat instead, calling it a point of pride in India's modern railway infrastructure. She tagged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Ministry of Railways, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in her post, captioning it with praise for the Make in India initiative.

Notably, both celebrities highlighted the contrast between the dated image of Indian train travel and the current standard — a narrative that aligns with the government's infrastructure messaging ahead of upcoming state elections.

Why It Resonates

The Vande Bharat Express, India's semi-high-speed indigenously built train, has become a flagship symbol of the Make in India programme. With improved onboard amenities, punctuality improvements, and wider route coverage, the train has drawn consistent praise from commuters and public figures alike. Sood's personal account — rooted in a relatable struggle — gives the endorsement an authenticity that goes beyond celebrity promotion.

This comes amid a wider push by Indian Railways to expand the Vande Bharat fleet across more corridors, with the government having set ambitious targets for rollout in the current financial year. Whether organic or coordinated, the social media attention keeps the train in national conversation.