Raghubir Yadav on acting: 'Gale padd gayi mere' — how music shapes his craft
Synopsis
Raghubir Yadav says acting was never a plan — it 'fell around his neck' by accident. In a candid reveal during 'Hunkkaar – The Roar' promotions, the veteran explains how musical thinking shapes every character he plays and why he chose stagecraft over a formal acting degree.
Key Takeaways
Raghubir Yadav says acting was never a conscious choice — it came to him purely by accident.
He approaches every character musically , believing emotions in music arrive faster and more intuitively.
Yadav chose stagecraft as his specialization instead of a formal acting course, arguing an actor must know 'everything in the universe.' He spoke during promotions for 'Hunkkaar – The Roar' alongside co-stars Fatima Sana Shaikh and Zoya Hussain in Mumbai .
The series — directed by Karan D.
Kapadia and Nitya Mehra — is streaming now on JioHotstar .
Veteran actor Raghubir Yadav has opened up about his unconventional journey into acting, revealing that he never consciously chose the profession — it simply found him. Speaking during promotional events for his new series 'Hunkkaar – The Roar' in Mumbai, Yadav said acting was more of an accidental calling than a deliberate career choice.
Music First, Acting Second
Yadav, who was present alongside co-stars Fatima Sana Shaikh and Zoya Hussain at a five-star venue in the city, explained that his approach to every character is rooted in music. 'I think of characters musically because it's easier for me to grasp the character. The emotions in music, they come to you so quickly. And the way you are in the mood, the way you are living your life, the way you are happy, that kind of music comes to you so quickly. That's what you want to hear. So, since childhood, I've been connected to music. Acting toh gale padd gayi mere (acting happened to me just like that). That's why I had to do it,' he said.
Why He Skipped a Formal Acting Course
The seasoned performer also explained why he deliberately chose not to pursue a formal acting course. 'The profession of an actor is such that it's very necessary to learn everything. It's very important. You have to know it. Then I started enjoying it. Music is one thing. There are other things with music. I mean, in the whole universe, there's nothing in the universe that an actor shouldn't know. That's why I didn't do a course in acting. My specialization. I did it in stage craft,' Yadav said.
This philosophy — that an actor must absorb the whole world rather than narrow their training to a single discipline — echoes a tradition of holistic performance that predates modern method acting schools. Yadav's grounding in stagecraft, in particular, has long been considered a foundation of his naturalistic screen presence.
About 'Hunkkaar – The Roar'
'Hunkkaar – The Roar' is set against a world of power, faith, and institutional influence. The series centres on a 17-year-old named Meenu Rawat, whose accusation against a spiritual figure sets off a high-stakes investigation and a courtroom battle that exposes the tensions between faith, power, and justice.
The show is directed by Karan D. Kapadia and Nitya Mehra. Actress Aneet Padda — who first drew national attention with 'Saiyaara' — plays Meenu Rawat. Fatima Sana Shaikh portrays ACP Jasleen Singh Soin, while Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Raghubir Yadav, Ram Kapoor, and Arjun Mathur appear in pivotal roles.
Production and Where to Watch
The series is backed by Applause Entertainment, Birla Studios, and Purple Pebble Pictures. It is currently available to stream on JioHotstar. Given the positive early reception for Yadav's performance, the show is expected to draw wider audiences as word-of-mouth builds.
Point of View
Yadav's generation absorbed performance osmotically through music, folk traditions, and stagecraft. That organic formation arguably produced some of the most texturally rich screen performances in Indian cinema. The timing of this disclosure, mid-promotion for a streaming series, also suggests that OTT platforms are finally giving space to character actors who were long underutilised by mainstream Bollywood. The real question is whether 'Hunkkaar' can hold the attention of a younger audience that discovered Yadav only recently.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Raghubir Yadav say about how he entered acting?
Raghubir Yadav said he never planned to take up acting as a specialization and that it happened to him purely by chance. He described it with the Hindi phrase 'Acting toh gale padd gayi mere,' meaning acting simply fell around his neck.
How does Raghubir Yadav prepare for his characters?
Yadav says he thinks of characters musically, as music helps him grasp emotions more quickly and intuitively. He has been connected to music since childhood and uses that emotional register as the entry point into every role.
Why did Raghubir Yadav not study acting formally?
Yadav chose stagecraft as his area of specialization instead, believing that an actor must know everything in the world — not just acting technique. He felt a single-discipline acting course would be too limiting for what the profession demands.
What is 'Hunkkaar – The Roar' about and where can it be watched?
'Hunkkaar – The Roar' follows a 17-year-old girl named Meenu Rawat whose accusation against a spiritual figure triggers a courtroom battle exploring faith, power, and justice. The series is directed by Karan D. Kapadia and Nitya Mehra and is streaming on JioHotstar.
Who stars in 'Hunkkaar – The Roar' alongside Raghubir Yadav?
The series stars Fatima Sana Shaikh as ACP Jasleen Singh Soin, Aneet Padda as Meenu Rawat, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Ram Kapoor, and Arjun Mathur in pivotal roles. It is backed by Applause Entertainment, Birla Studios, and Purple Pebble Pictures.
