Krishna Ajai Rao on Raadheya: I wanted to play a bad guy right from my first film, but got the chance only now

Krishna Ajai Rao plays a serial killer in his next release, Raadheya, which will be in theatres on November 21. He hopes it will break his boy-next-door image

Krishna Ajai Rao and Sonal Monteiro in Raadheya

On November 21, Kannada actor Krishna Ajai Rao will finally be seen in a role he’s always wanted to play since the beginning of his career. In his next, Raadheya, Ajai plays a serial killer, his first attempt at playing a bad guy. This is, incidentally, something he’s wanted to do right from the start of his career, but he got stuck with a boy-next-door image.

Director Prem gave Ajai Rao the 'decent guy' image he's been stuck with

“Before I got chosen for Excuse Me, I had done a showreel of types in which I had enacted a bunch of scenes, including villainous ones. I guess director Prem had a preconceived notion about the character in Excuse Me and saw that in me. I had sported a rugged look when I met him, but he got me to shave and change my hairstyle and presented me as a ‘decent’ guy, an image that then stuck on,” Ajai said in conversation with Vishwavani TV during the promotions of Raadheya.

In the film, Ajai plays a guy who confesses to have committed 35-36 murders. The circumstances that lead him to this journey of violence is what the story is about. “The question is whether he does all this for love or not, which will be answered in the film. What I can say is that his murderous spree is not just for one reason and he has a justification for each. Whether or not he is an outright evil person or actually a good guy remains to be seen,” adds Ajai.

Also read: Krishna Ajai Rao: Yuddhakaanda is an organic hit, but when compared to Telugu's Court...

The actor is paired with Sonal Monteiro in the film, while Dhanya Balakrishna has a pivotal role. The film, he says, will remain special for him, given the scope it had for him as a performer. Ajai’s conversations with Dhanya about what he’s done, which then intermittently cuts to flashbacks is how the narrative has been put together by director Veda Guru.

FAQs

Q. What was Krishna Ajai Rao's last release?

A. Ajai Rao began 2025 with Yuddhakaanda Chapter 2, a legal drama that he produced and, reportedly, had a decent run at the box office. The film is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Q. What is Raadheya about?

A. Krishna Ajai Rao plays a serial killer in his upcoming release Raadheya, which hits theatres on November 21, 2025. The reasons for his murderous spree forms the crux of the film by Veda Guru.

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