Raghav Juyal Praises Nani and South Stars: “There’s Absolutely No ‘Star Attitude'”

Raghav Juyal has opened up about his experience of working with Nani in the upcoming pan-India action drama The Paradise, and the actor had nothing but praise for the superstar and the warmth he experienced while working down South. Raghav particularly highlighted how grounded and relatable he found the stars in the South Indian film industry.

When asked about working with Nani, Raghav said, “Oh, it was amazing—truly amazing. So much fun. I mean, down South, they are genuinely kind and incredibly humble. There’s absolutely no ‘star attitude’; the stars there are so grounded and relatable.” He went on to describe the kind of personal connection he felt with them, adding, “If I’m sitting there, or my family is, they’ll just say, ‘Yeah, I’m so-and-so.’ It’s that kind of connection stars used to have back in the day.”

Raghav further explained why this relatability stands out to him, making an interesting comparison to larger-than-life celebrity images. “It’s not like some G.I. Joe or Barbie doll suddenly walks in—you know what I mean? There’s a sense of relatability; first of all, they look Indian—just like us—and that sense of connection is something I feel is really important,” he said.

The Paradise is one of the most awaited pan-Indian films of the year and is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on September 24, 2026. Directed by Srikanth Odela, the film marks his second collaboration with Nani after their successful 2023 film Dasara. Set in the 1980s against the backdrop of the urban slums of Secunderabad, the period action drama revolves around a marginalised tribal community fighting for its identity and rights in the face of systemic oppression.

Nani plays Jadal, also known as Dhagad, a fierce and rugged figure shaped by violence and rebellion, while Raghav Juyal takes on the pivotal role of Vikram Maalik, the film's menacing antagonist. With Anirudh Ravichander composing the music, The Paradise is being mounted as a major multilingual release.

The film is set to release globally in eight languages — Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, English and Spanish. With Nani leading the intense period drama and Raghav stepping into a powerful antagonist role, The Paradise is gearing up to bring a raw and ambitious action spectacle to audiences across India and beyond.