Why Did Srikanth Odela Wait 8 Months for This Man in The Paradise?

Nani’s upcoming movie The Paradise is creating strong interest among movie lovers. The film is directed by Srikanth Odela, who earlier impressed audiences with Dasara. The movie brings Nani and Srikanth together once again. Bollywood actor and dancer Raghav Juyal is also playing an important negative role in the film.

Raghav’s casting has become one of the interesting points of the movie. Srikanth Odela recently explained how he found the right actor for this character. According to the director, he spent nearly eight months searching for someone who could perfectly match his idea of the role.

Srikanth wanted an actor with a special look and personality. He was searching for someone who was slim, flexible, stylish and calm. The actor also needed to be comfortable with different costumes and should have a strong presence on screen.

Speaking about the search, Srikanth Odela said, "I was searching for someone who was thin, very flexible, calm and stylish. Someone who could easily get into the character and carry whatever costume we put him in."

He initially looked for a Telugu actor for the role. However, the search continued for months without finding the right person. Things changed when one of his assistant directors showed him Raghav Juyal’s picture.

Srikanth immediately liked what he saw. He later met Raghav personally, and that meeting made him even more confident about the casting.

The director recalled, "I was a little confused before meeting you, but when you came for the first meeting, I was like, this fellow is so confident. I immediately felt that you could easily get into this role."

Interestingly, Raghav did not just get selected for the role. His natural energy also changed the character itself. Srikanth revealed that he had originally imagined the character in a calmer way. After meeting Raghav, he decided to change the character to suit the actor’s unique personality.

Srikanth explained, "When I initially wrote the character, I imagined him to be more settled and calm. But after my first meeting with you, I felt we had to rewrite the character around the energy he naturally brings."

The Paradise marks Raghav Juyal’s Telugu cinema debut. Kayadu Lohar is the female lead, while Mohan Babu and Sampoornesh Babu are also part of the cast. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on September 24, 2026.