Raghav Juyal, fresh off his The Ba*rds Of Bollywood success, calls Aryan a “brilliant director” who has “endured a lot.” He notes Aryan’s vision to make the series for all of India, not just the “Bandra or SoBo folks.”
October 2, 2025: Actor Raghav Juyal is currently enjoying the spotlight for his acclaimed comic timing in the new series The Bards Of Bollywood***. The dancer-turned-actor is going viral on social media, but his biggest takeaway from the Shah Rukh Khan-produced project is the creative collaboration and camaraderie he found with writer-director Aryan Khan.
Raghav spoke exclusively to News18 Showsha, sharing his profound respect for Aryan’s resilience and vision.
Aryan Khan: “A Different Breed”
Despite the widely publicized ordeal Aryan Khan faced in 2021, Raghav believes the experience has only strengthened the young director.
“He’s a very confident person. Aryan Khan is something else. I can relate to him a lot. You can’t break him. Usko tum todne jaaoge toh woh aur ubhke bahar aa jaayega (If you try to break him, he will emerge even stronger). He’s a different breed. Money, all that is nothing… his case is different, man,” Raghav asserted.
Raghav was particularly impressed by Aryan’s clarity of vision, noting that while it takes years for most directors to find their voice, Aryan “knew what he wanted.” He added, “Usne bahot kuch jhhela hai (He has endured a lot). He’s a brilliant director. It’s crazy!”
Capturing the ‘Local Essence’ of India
What also impressed Raghav was Aryan’s ability to satirize Bollywood clichés through the lens of an outsider, despite being an industry insider. He attributes this to the grounding atmosphere at Mannat, the Khan family residence.
“That’s the kind of atmosphere that’s there in their home. Aryan’s cousins are all from Delhi… They speak in Hindi and Urdu at home. I’ve never seen anyone speaking in Hindi at home in Mumbai,” Raghav revealed.
He stressed that Aryan was very clear that the show was not just for the elite of South Mumbai, even though he is a “Bandra boy.”
“He knows his roots well and that’s why he has been able to capture that local essence even in the series. He used to always say that this show isn’t meant for just Bandra or SoBo folks but also for the whole of India. That way, it’s a true-blue pan-Indian show,” Raghav explained.
Overwhelmed by Industry Support
Riding high on the success, Raghav shared that his phone “hasn’t stopped ringing.”
“I can’t believe the kind support I’ve been receiving from everyone in this industry! Janhvi (Kapoor), Ananya (Panday), Shanaya (Kapoor), Raju (Rajkumar Hirani) sir, Vidhu (Vinod Chopra) sir, Anurag (Kashyap) sir – everyone has called me,” he said.
Raghav feels validated that the success of the series, along with his film Kill, has opened new doors, helping him avoid being stereotyped. “I’m thankful that I’m not being stereotyped. It’s rare. I’m so happy. I’ve worked so hard to achieve this… I knew this would happen. My instincts are very strong,” he concluded, thanking Aryan Khan for the “great opportunity.