Nani reveals he was already a fan of Raghav Juyal before The Paradise: “I know how much of a contribution came from Raghav’s side in Kill”

The actor recalls discussing Raghav’s performance in Kill with friends and cousins before teaming up with him for Srikanth Odela’s upcoming film.

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

September 18, 2026 - 9:49 PM IST

Nani has revealed that he was already familiar with and impressed by Raghav Juyal’s work before the two actors came together for The Paradise. Speaking about his experience of working with Raghav, Nani recalled watching Kill and recognising the actor’s contribution to the film.

Nani reveals he was already a fan of Raghav Juyal before The Paradise: “I know how much of a contribution came from Raghav’s side in Kill”

According to Nani, Raghav’s performance in Kill left enough of an impression on him that he spent nearly an hour discussing the nuances of the actor’s work with his friends and cousins. He said, “I know what role he played in its success. I know why we talk about Kill, and I know how much of a contribution came from Raghav’s side to that film.”

Interestingly, Nani said he had never discussed his admiration for Raghav with The Paradise director Srikanth Odela. During the narration of the film, however, Odela described the antagonist to Nani as “the villain in Kill — perfect casting.” The description immediately caught Nani’s attention, given his familiarity with Raghav’s work.

At the same time, Nani had some questions about how Raghav’s performance would translate into Telugu. The actor wondered whether working in a language that was not Raghav’s own might affect the spontaneity and small nuances that can emerge naturally during a performance.

Those concerns changed once filming began. Nani revealed that Raghav went beyond simply learning and delivering his Telugu dialogues and remained closely involved with the nuances of each scene. “From day one, when I met him and we started shooting, he did so much with it. He did even more than he had done in Hindi,” Nani shared.

The Paradise marks Raghav Juyal’s Telugu debut and brings him into a new language and film industry. The project is directed by Srikanth Odela and stars Nani in the lead role.

The film is slated to release on September 24, 2026. With Raghav taking on the antagonist, Nani’s comments offer a glimpse into the actor’s approach to his first Telugu-language role and the expectations surrounding his performance.

Also Read: The Paradise director Srikanth Odela revisits 8-month search for Raghav Juyal: “We had to rewrite the character around his energy”