After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last year, Karan Johar’s production venture, Kill, has finally got a release date in India. The gory, action-entertainer will be released in Indian theatres on July 5 this year. The film marks the Bollywood debut of Lakshya and features television’s charmer Raghav Juyal as the antagonist – Fani.
While Raghav’s fans are used to seeing him as the boy-next-door on television, he plays a ‘psychotic’ villain in this Karan Johar-Guneet Monga production. Speaking about playing a murderous villain, Raghav exclusively told News18 Showsha, “My mother was there with me for the premiere. She couldn’t believe it. She was like, ‘Arre yaar tumhe yahi mila tha karne ko.’ She couldn’t recognise me for a while, she was scared. I said, ‘Mummy, I will have to do all kinds of characters. Shah Rukh Khan ne bhi villain se hi start kiya tha.’”
Speaking about how Raghav bagged Fani’s role, he said, “I was shooting for an independent film in Banaras with Ranveer Shorey and Sanjay Mishra ji when I got the chance to audition. When I met Guneet for the first time, she said, ‘I took 100s of auditions but couldn’t find anyone because it’s the lead character of the film.’ I read the script and said, ‘Bhai, I have to do this.’”
One would imagine that after an illustrious career as a television host and having been a part of some major films, Raghav would have a strong network in the industry to get him meaty roles. However, the actor revealed that this was far from the truth. “There are a lot of hosts and big names in TV, sabki jaan pehchaan hai aaj kal sab se. You will only get a good role if your audition goes well. You can only rely on your craft because if Guneet Monga and Karan Johar are taking you for a project, they are taking you for the character you are playing. It’s not because I’m hosting or something like that. Guneet and I didn’t even know each other. Karan I knew before, but not Guneet,” he said.
Raghav added, “I’m doing another project with Karan Johar and Guneet Monga called Gyarah Gyarah in which I’m playing the protagonist. That is also audition-based. It only depends on how much hardwork you’re putting to better your craft. Ab 13 14 saal ho gaye hain mujhe jaan pehchaan producers ki parties main jaana, yeh karna voh karna. Isse kuch nahi hota hai.”
When Kill was first premiered at TIFF, many critics said that such a film hadn’t been made in India before. Reacting to this, Raghav said, “Yes, it is a violent blood bash. It’s not Karan Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, its Khach Khach Hota Hai. We used to joke about that. Bohot bohot bohot violent hai. You should watch it in the theatre to enjoy it to the fullest. I said this in an interview and then Karan sir also took that line, ‘Himmat hai toh hall main aao.’”
Recalling his reaction to watching himself on the big screen at TIFF, Raghav said, “I was almost crying. It was overwhelming for me. I couldn’t believe it as an actor. I have been appreciated so much by all the international critics. India ki toh aadat hai dekhni ki janta ko mujhe but udhar suddenly ek naya crowd tha. Guneet and I hugged each other for almost 10 minutes with tears in our eyes.”
In Kill, Raghav’s Fani as the antagonist is offset by Lakshya’s character as the protagonist. Reacting to Lakshya’s Bollywood debut, Raghav said, “I think I’ve not seen anyone do action better than him. In India, I haven’t seen anyone doing action with emotions better than him. He is amazing. He is so hardworking and helpful as an actor. We are best friends in Mumbai and we help each other with auditions. I love him.”
Raghav will don the villain’s avatar again in Yudhra, also starring Siddhanth Chaturvedi. Raghav told News18 Showsha that the film will be released in mid-2024.
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