Kill actor Raghav Juyal: ‘Fani is a charismatic villain; I needed to be in the moment to play him’

Dancer-choreographer turned actor Raghav Juyal's film 'Kill', produced by Karan Johan and Guneet Monga, premiered at the recent Toronto International Film Festival.

From being called the ‘ultimate villain’ and ‘disturbingly terrifying’ to being appreciated for his ‘breakthrough role’ as Fani, the villain in Kill produced by Karan Johar and Guneet Kapoor, dancer Raghav Juyal has come a long way from his Dance India Dance 3 (2012) days. The 32-year-old choreographer and actor who hails from Uttarakhand, also known as the King of Slow Motion, slowly made his way into the world of films with roles in Sonali Cable (2014), ABCD 2 (2015) and Street Dancer 3D (2020) among others. However, it is with the Nikhil Nagesh Bhat-directed action blockbuster also starring Lakshya and Tanya Maniktala that Juyal has hit the bull’s eye. The movie had its premiere at the Midnight Madness section of TIFF 2023 and received a standing ovation from the audience.

In an interview with Moneycontrol, the Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan actor tells us about the physical and mental process of playing this terrifying villain. Edited excerpts:

You have been receiving rave reviews for your performance from international media to filmmaker Karan Johar. How does it feel to have so much appreciation coming your way?

It feels really good. I have been working hard for a long time and had even left television for a while and made a lot of sacrifices to be here. It feels amazing to get this validation from one of the biggest producers and directors we have in the country. Guneet Monga also said that they took hundreds of auditions and I stood out in them. I can say that I have done some good work to deserve this.

Raghav Juyal with Karan Johar.

The film was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival and received a standing ovation. How was the experience?

The standing ovation went on for so long and felt unreal! This was my international film festival as an actor and it was the same for Lakshya. We both had tears in our eyes. The audience consisted of international directors, actors and film buffs and it is not an easy crowd to please. They loved it! From the next day onward, it had become the talk of town and there were people meeting and greeting us on the streets. I had really not expected so much. I am really overwhelmed that all my hard work has paid off.

Tell us about the audition process and what made you say yes to the film?

I keep giving auditions. Anmol Ahuja of Casting Bay called me while I was shooting in Banaras for an independent film. The director saw my audition tape and said they have found their actor for the role. That is when the process started. I like to read the script because I like to imagine it from my point of view. I learnt that the producers were Karan Johar and Guneet Monga which was such a big opportunity for me. As for playing a villain, some of the biggest stars have become what they are because they played villains, the biggest example being Mr Shah Rukh Khan. This role was a blessing. Na bolne ka toh sawaal hi nahi hota (There was no way I was saying no to this).

We hear that the action was taken care of by action choreographers Oh Se-yeong (Snowpiercer) and Parvez Shaikh (Brahmastra Part One: Shiva). Tell us about it.

I am a dancer and I like challenging myself. I have done television shows where we had to prepare without sleep. I am aware of my body because I have been doing this for many years. It is challenging but I have a lot of fun with it. For this film, I learnt a new type of action. The director too believes in prepping you and then leaving you to create the magic. I think it is not just us but the writers, technicians and the crew who are also the heroes of the film.

Raghav Juyal at the world premiere of his film 'Kill' at TIFF, Toronto.

One of the reviews termed your character a “psychotic bandit”. How did you prepare yourself mentally to play a character like Fani?  

When you read a script many times you discover a lot of things. I write pointers and take notes when I read a script. It takes time for the rhythm of the character to get inside your body. I was prepping for a long time and then I felt that I had over-prepared, so I left it for a week or so to understand how much has been absorbed sub-consciously by the body. Fani is a charismatic villain. I needed to be in the moment to play him. Once you come on the set, you have to forget everything and let the magic of the moment take over.

Some reviews have mentioned that the film is not for the faint-hearted. How do you view the violence in the film and do you think it is necessary to show it?

I think filmmaking, just like dancing, painting or acting, is a very intuitive art and I believe that art should be seen as art. It is a way of expression. As far as violence is concerned, it is real-like but not real life. It is called ‘playing characters’ because it is a play and not real. There are shows these days that promote everyday sadism and abuse. This is not that. I want people to come and view this film as a piece of art and see it as a story. But I do have a warning for them - himmat hai toh hall mein aao!

You have a massive fan following - 11.4 million followers on Instagram alone. What do you hope for your fans and followers to take from your journey?

I hope my followers learn that whatever they do in life, it should have some substance in it. It should not be surface level. I want to promote art in a purist form. Everybody is looking to gain overnight fame and people are clamouring for views and followers. I think art is getting lost in the process.

After getting so much appreciation for playing a villain, are you apprehensive about getting typecast as the bad guy?

I will never get typecast. I have been working my way up in the past 14 years. I started as a dancer, hosted shows, did comedy and then I did a film like Kill. Next up is a web series with Guneet Monga and Karan Johar called Gyarah Gyarah where I play the protagonist with many layers. There is also a film with Excel Entertainment where the audience will see me in a serious role and Yodhra with Siddhant Chaturvedi and Malvika Mohanan which is again a serious role. Most casting directors have seen my auditions and they call me for different roles. Also, I do not have a problem saying no. I am extremely patient. I left television for four years in order to be here. Many people warned me not to quit television at my peak but I felt that if I am seen everywhere, then there will not be any exclusivity left. Why would people come to watch me in theatres? I think it is important for actors to maintain that surprise factor for the audience. Because of all these reasons, I am sure that I will not get typecast and you will get to see me in different roles.