Raghav Juyal, who left television at the peak of his popularity as a dancer and reality show host, has opened up about a heartbreaking rejection he faced just before his career-defining role in ‘Kill’. The actor, who is now gearing up for his first solo lead film, shared how the setback turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Raghav Juyal recalls being dropped from a film
In an interview with News18, Raghav Juyal recalled a time when he had missed out on a big film by a whisker right before ‘Kill’ came his way. Talking about it, he said, “I was selected for a film. It was about to go on floors, and I was all set to begin the shoot for it. And then suddenly, the calls stopped coming from them. They then told me that they’re looking for a big face.”He further revealed the reason behind his rejection left him heartbroken. He shared, “Main unko bola tha ki main khaa-peeke apna face bada karta hoon kyunki abhi toh mera chhota face hai. Main aise mazaak kar deta hoon. Mujhe koi farak nahi padhta. I later got to know that the hero of the film told the makers to not cast me in it. Mujhe bahot dukh hua tha tab (I had told them that I’d eat more and put on some weight so my face would look big because I have a small face right now. I was just joking around—I don’t really let such things affect me. Later, I found out that the film’s lead actor had asked the makers not to cast me. That really hurt me at the time).”During the same conversation Raghav shared that everything that happened to him after that incident was quite good. He added, “I was like, thank god, I didn’t do that film. And interestingly, that film never got made. Kaafi bade studio ki film thi. It was supposed to go on floors many a times, but it never did.”
Raghav Juyal on self-belief and becoming a superstar
Up next for Raghav is ‘Bhai Tera Star Hai’, his first film as a solo protagonist. Looking back at his 16-year journey, he said, “Main jo bolta hoon, woh hota hai. I wouldn’t call it manifestation but kaam karne ki power… And now that I’m saying that I’ll become a superstar, I know that I’ll become a superstar. I can already feel that within me. Woh baad mein bahar reflect hoga. And it’s not my delusion that’s talking.”
750 scripts after ‘Kill’
Talking about the response he received post ‘Kill’, Raghav Juyal revealed, “After ‘Kill’, I received some 750 scripts where I was the solo lead. I chose ‘Bhai Tera Star Hai’, ‘Ikaai’ and a few others. I didn’t do any roles where I was the hero’s best friend after ‘The Ba***ds Of Bollywood’.”
More about ‘Bhai Tera Star Hai’
Directed by Vivek B Agarwal, the film features Raghav Juyal, Sanjay Kapoor, Niharika NM, and Niki Wales. The movie is set to hit theatres on July 30, 2026.