Highlights
- Raghav Juyal believes Bollywood no longer makes the kind of comedies popularised by Govinda
- The actor says Bhai Tera Star Hai is his attempt to bring audiences back to light-hearted cinema
- He also reflects on how Kill changed the industry's perception of him
Raghav Juyal believes Hindi cinema has drifted away from the family entertainers that once made stars like Govinda box-office favourites.
Speaking about his latest release, Bhai Tera Star Hai, the actor said comedy has become an overlooked genre at a time when audiences could benefit from films that simply make them laugh.
'That space has been empty'
Juyal said he was drawn to Bhai Tera Star Hai because it offered a style of comedy he believes has largely disappeared from Bollywood.
"There’s a space in comedy that has been empty for a while now. The kind of comedy that Govinda and others used to do is missing," he said.
He added that people are surrounded by stress in their daily lives and that cinema should also offer an escape.
"The environment everywhere is so intense that there should be a wave of comedy. People should come to theatres, laugh, be happy and go home feeling relaxed."
Asked whether his latest film could help fill that gap, Juyal replied, "Yes, it should."
Why comedy came before his darker roles
Although audiences have recently seen him in projects such as Kill, Yudhra and The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, Juyal said he deliberately chose a comedy before returning to more intense roles.
"After this, I have so many intense projects coming up, so I wanted to tell the audience that I'm still the same kid. Come, enjoy, laugh and go home relaxed."
He compared the film to an "antacid" before stronger medicine, saying he wanted viewers to leave cinemas feeling lighter.
How Kill changed his career
Juyal also described Kill as the project that transformed the industry's perception of him.
"After Kill, the entire industry's perspective towards me changed, and that was very important," he said.
While he acknowledged that moving from television to becoming a theatrical lead has been the biggest challenge of his career, he believes audiences are ready to see him take on leading roles alongside experimenting with different genres.
