Raghav Juyal says outsiders can get a chance in Bollywood if they focus on craft: ‘If you do nothing but wait for the big shot…’

“We all are here because Salman sir took a chance on us. But today the time is such, thanks to OTT coming in, that if you really work on your craft, if you really have that as your backbone, if you’re going for auditions, attending workshops, then you will get it one day,” Raghav tells indianexpress.com.

The actor-dancer says to reach a stage where he has a slate or projects lined up, he had to toil hard with years of auditions and rejections but adds there was never a time where he took things for granted or slowed down work on himself.

“If you are not doing these things, but simply waiting for that one (big) shot… chances are you won’t ever get that. Even if you do, you have got to be so prepared for it. Today I am doing a project with Guneet Monga. I had to audition for years to get an opportunity like this. When I had no work, I would tell my actor friends lets read plays, let’s do plays. If you really work hard on your craft, one day you will get that shot and you will get it right. That’s important.

“You will get what’s written in your destiny, but kuch bharosa nahi hai fame ka. You can’t say, ‘Oh I have millions of followers.’ They are today but perhaps won’t exist tomorrow. Only your craft will always be with you. You can be old and still do plays. So my learning is to not leave that backbone.”

Raghav, thanks to his decade long work on TV, does enjoy a healthy social media following. His Instagram profile has more than 11 million followers and the actor confesses that there was indeed a phase when he felt the “pressure” to cater to his fans. Citing an example of the reality show Dance Plus, Raghav said he quit as its host when the show was it at its peak– a necessary risk he had to take.

“I had that pressure, that insecurity. I had not done TV for three years. I quit Dance Plus at a time when it was at its peak. It is important to not be overexposed. I also got monotonous; I get bored easily anyway. So I needed to take that risk. For five years I only trained, worked hard on myself, gave auditions.

“It was then that I cracked Guneet Monga, Excel Entertainment, Dharma Productions, just because of my craft. Then of course, destiny played its part too. Salman had seen my talent on stage years ago and called me for this film. Here, talent, craft, destiny, everything work together,” he adds.

Directed by Farhad Samjhi, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan is scheduled to release on April 21. The film also stars Pooja Hegde, Shehnaaz Gill, Palak Tiwari, Venkatesh and Jagapathi Babu among others.