KKBKKJ Star Raghav Juyal Opens Up Bond with Salman Khan, Says 'I Would Go to His Farmhouse And...' | Exclusive

Raghav Juyal won hearts with his impressive dancing skills in Dance India Dance and has been a crowd favourite ever since. After Street Dancer 3D and Bahut Hua Samman, the dance wizard is all set to play a significant role in Salman Khan’s next, Kisi Ki Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. Speaking exclusively to News18 Showsha, Raghav talks about his bonding with Salman, the outsider hustle and working with Oscar-winning producer, Guneet Monga.

Raghav, who started off as a reality show contestant, has come a long way. He faced rejection from the judges but he quickly gained a massive following as fans began to imitate his style. Since then, he has taken on hosting gigs for many dance reality shows. At a time when the ‘outsiders vs insiders’ debate is picking up heat, Raghav believes that there are enough opportunities for outsiders.

“Yes, there are enough opportunities for outsiders. But, only if you work hard on your craft and hone your skills. It’s a different story altogether if you just want to become a celebrity or a star. But, if your end goal is to do good work and shine as an actor, you have to do what actors are expected to do – read plays, do workshops, appear for auditions, do acting exercises – you have to keep working on yourself. In fact, I want to continue appearing for acting auditions – it’s the only way to go and I have no qualms about it. Lambi race ka ghoda banna hai toh one has to constantly work on their craft,” he says.

Speaking of his journey so far, Raghav says that it’s just the beginning for him and he doesn’t believe in romanticising struggles. He shares, “I started off as a background dancer and handled studios in Mumbai. I still believe this is just the beginning for me. While I have worked in a couple of films, it is only with Kisi Ki Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan that my journey has truly begun. I feel blessed to have got this opportunity to work with Salman Bhai. I have shot for quite a few interesting projects and all I can say is that I’m in a good space.”

In fact, Raghav’s bond with Salman has been the talk of the town recently. Their on-set shenanigans have been going viral. Opening up about the superstar, Raghav says, “He is really fun – especially with me! I would go to his farmhouse, chill, and freshen up on multiple occasions. In fact, I still do! For an outsider like me – who hails from a small place in Uttarakhand – it’s a surreal feeling. The fact that Salman Khan chose to work with me and showed faith in my craft has not sunk in yet. When I got a call from him, I didn’t think twice before giving my nod. I come from a middle-class family and our thoughts are still like, ‘Arre, Sallu Bhai ki film aa rahi hai’ and to think I’m in that film. KKBKKJ is a film that’s an out and out ‘Hindustani’ film. We have not tried to copy to West. Apko apki desh ki mitti ki khooshbu ayegi.”

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On the work front, Raghav just completed shooting for Ravi Udyawar’s Yudhra, produced by Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment, starring Siddhant Chaurvedi and Malavika Mohanan. He’s also part of two of Guneet Monga’s projects. Speaking of the double shifts he had to manage to wrap up all the shoots, he says “I had to shoot two shifts because KKBKKJ was earlier slated to release in December 2022. That apart, for Guneet’s next, we only had the studio for a certain time. It’s very important to be a production-friendly actor. At a time like this, one really cannot go about with an entourage, come late on sets, order food worth lakhs on put pressure on production. It’s a collaborative process and an actor should be thoroughly professional,” he says.

“I was reeling under dengue but didn’t take more than two days to recuperate and be back on the sets of KKBKKJ. I knew Bhai (Salman Khan) was under a lot of pressure to release the film and I couldn’t have taken any leeway,” he adds.

Reminiscing about working with Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga, Raghav says, “She’s amazing. To work with Guneet’s production is an actor’s delight. The scripts, the way they work – it is so creatively satisfying to work with their team. I feel so proud to be working with an Oscar-winning producer. The project has shaped up really well.”

The actor was one of the few people who was at the airport to receive the filmmaker, when she touched down from Los Angeles after winning the Academy Award for the Best Documentary Short Film.

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