My audience has changed: Raghav Juyal
His transformation from dance reality shows to being praised for his intense roles as Fani in ‘Kill’ and Inspector Yug in ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ is remarkable
Raghav Juyal’s transformation from dance reality shows to being praised for his intense roles as Fani in the ultra-violent thriller ‘Kill’ and Inspector Yug in the time travel thriller ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ is remarkable. In an interview with the ‘Millennium Post’, Juyal talks about enjoying his stint as an actor and playing complex characters.
From being the ‘King of Slow Motion’ on dance shows to playing intense and complex characters in ‘Kill’ and ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’, the transformation has been remarkable. Are you enjoying this phase?
Yes, a lot. I enjoy whatever I do. Now, I am enjoying the process of preparing for these characters too. So, it’s fun. When I danced, I put my heart into it. When I hosted, I did it with all my energy and loved every moment. Now, in acting and films, I’m giving it the same level of dedication. I believe that whatever you do should be built on your craft. Your craft is the foundation of your work. This is something I’ve learned to value deeply. Coming from a dance background, I understand the importance of training - training both my body and mind. This mindset guides everything I do.
You started off as a dancer and now, you found your footing as an actor. Were you always fond of acting?
Everyone wants to be an actor. I was coming from reality shows like ‘Dance India Dance’, ‘Khatra Khatra Khatra’ or ‘Bigg Boss’. But to be honest, I took some time to realise my passion for films. I wanted to fit in for a long time. I came from reality shows and I wanted to prove myself. When I worked with Vijay Raj and saw Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ for the first time, I realised acting is far more than just delivering lines. My perspective changed when I began training with my coach, Saurabh Sachdeva. I did rigorous training for five to six years. Now, acting has become my passion.
‘Kill’ must have changed your life.
After ‘Kill’, a lot of doors opened for me. My audience has changed. People are asking me about my next film. All of this changed overnight after ‘Kill’. I am really happy. I was speaking to Anurag Kashyap about ‘Maharaja’ and he was talking about ‘Kill’. I really liked ‘Maharaja’. Fahadh Faasil called and praised me. I couldn’t believe my luck.
Thrill Pill
Your character, Yug, in the time travel thriller ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ is a police officer from Dehradun. He seems to be a complex character.
It was very challenging for me to play Yug in ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ on ‘Zee5’. It was more challenging than playing the ruthless Fani in ‘Kill’. Yug carries a heavy burden of past traumas and emotional wounds and his character is deeply conflicted, questioning and even complaining about the police. It was tough for me to decide the best approach to portraying him - should I see him as a police officer or as an honest cop? I broke down the words and spoke quickly to reflect his anxiety and angst. I also took some inspiration from my younger brother, a filmmaker and used his way of speaking to shape my portrayal of Yug.
