Raghav: Tollywood Celebrates Cinema

Actor-dancer Raghav Juyal, who is set to make his Telugu debut with The Paradise, has opened up about the experience of working in the Telugu film industry.

He highlighted how the culture of celebrating cinema in the Telugu industry has left a deep impression on him.

Raghav, who features alongside Nani in director Srikanth Odela's The Paradise, spoke about witnessing a different level of passion and respect for filmmaking while working on the project.

“I have realised one thing, which I want to show in my work and in my place, that people celebrate and respect cinema so much over there. I had tears in my eyes when I saw how they respect each and every technician. They respect even the sound engineer; each and every audience knew who he was,” he said.

Raghav further added, “They don’t just come there to finish off their work. They are there to celebrate cinema. And that’s what I learned.”

Raghav has also credited The Paradise director Srikanth Odela, whom he affectionately refers to as “Srikanth Dada”, with having a significant impact on him. The film marks Raghav's entry into Telugu cinema, with him playing Vikram Maalik.

For the uninitiated, the film stars Nani, Mohan Babu, Kayadu Lohar, Sonali Kulkarni and Sampoornesh Babu alongside him. It is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on September 24, 2026.

Before making his mark on the big screen, Raghav became a household name through dance reality television.

Born and brought up in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, he rose to prominence with Dance India Dance 3. He was popularly known by the stage name “Crockroaxz” and became associated with his slow-motion dancing style.

He then became a familiar face as a television host, particularly through shows such as Dance Plus, which he hosted across multiple seasons. He also hosted Rising Star and Dance Champions, among other television projects.

Raghav eventually transitioned from dance and television to acting. He made his film debut with Sonali Cable in 2014, followed by films including ABCD 2, Nawabzaade, Street Dancer 3D and Bahut Hua Sammaan. He was also seen in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan and Yudhra.

His acting journey took another turn with the 2024 action thriller Kill, in which he played the antagonist Fani. The performance brought him great attention. He then appeared in the series Gyaarah Gyaarah and The Ba*ds of Bollywood.