Raghu Kunche has steadily built a reputation as a versatile talent in the industry, juggling roles as a music director, dubbing artiste, singer, and actor. Now, he is stepping into the spotlight with Gedela Raju, where he plays the lead. The film, directed by debutant Chaitanya Moturi and produced by Vani Ravikumar Moturi, is set for release this Friday. Interestingly, Raghu is not only acting in the film but has also composed the music, sung a song, and presented the project.
“After hearing the story, I decided to be a part of this film, because I believe my character will leave a lasting impression,” says Raghu, adding that playing the titular role in Gedela Raju will always be special.
Apart from acting, Raghu's involvement was also seen in the music department. He points out that in many recent films, background music overpowered the characters, but in Gedela Raju, it will be appreciated . “If you look at older films like Shiva or Geethanjali, the score would enhance the character subtly. In our film, the music travels along with the story instead of dominating it. I was careful to keep it that way. I was given 45 days to work on the background score, and it would reflect in the film, which also has three songs that will help move the film forward,” he explains.
The film was initially planned for release on April 17, but was postponed due to theatre availability. “We shifted to this week, and things fell into place. The film will release in over 200 screens across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and around 60 locations overseas,” he explains.
Raghu is also confident that as an actor who made his transition from television, Gedela Raju will be a gamechanger, and he will be offered substantial roles. “I don’t want to do roles that just appear for a couple of scenes. I've seen how what was promised to me during narration doesn’t always translate on screen. Going forward, I want my roles to be meaningful, whether it’s a lead, villain, or any other character,” he says.
While he has played strong roles in smaller films, Raghu is pragmatic about opportunities in big-budget projects. “There’s a lot of competition. While I don’t dream unrealistically, I’m confident that with the right opportunity, I can prove myself,” says Raghu, who reveals that a few such opportunities almost came together, but things didn't always go in his favour. “I once kept my dates free for a big project in which I was promised a role. However, someone else was finalised. Similarly, I was considered for the Gummadi Narasayya biopic, and even did a photoshoot, but the project eventually went ahead with someone else,” he shares.
Nevertheless, his versatility is being showcased in Gedela Raju, which features Raghu in a new look after a physical transformation. “My character needed to look intimidating, so I gained 12 kilos,” he says.
While the look of the character was achieved, Raghu got the feel right by speaking in the Godavari dialect. “Since I’m from that region, it was easier. Once I got the look right, I completely got into the character,” he says.
The film was shot largely in real locations around Kakinada. “The fish market scenes were shot in a live environment, with people going about their work. That adds a lot of authenticity. The interval fight will be a highlight — we had to use real knives, which was quite risky,” he recalls.
Raghu admits that the way the character was written had a strong impact on him. “At one point, I felt so angry at the character that I felt like killing him myself,” he says, adding that he’s curious about the audience’s reaction.
Confident about the film, Raghu says, “Those who’ve watched it so far have appreciated my work as both an actor and music director. But I’d say I take a little more credit as an actor here. I believe audiences who love cinema will connect with this film.”
On the work front, Raghu says he is open to all kinds of roles. “I’m not limited to playing villains. I go by the opportunities that come my way. I’m currently working on a film written by Kalyan Chakravarthy and also doing a good role in an Allari Naresh project,” he signs off.