Actor Ayush Shrivastava, known for his versatility, is stepping into a completely new space with Rahul Kumar Tewary’s Zee TV show Jagadhatri, where he plays the complex and unpredictable Rudra Deshmukh.
Opening up about his character, Ayush shares, “I am playing Rudra Deshmukh. He is the son of Mahesh Deshmukh and the only son of the Deshmukh family. He’s also Maya’s brother. Rudra is a kickass character — narcissistic, flamboyant, and charismatic. He doesn’t care about anyone else. There’s a maniacal, psychotic side to him too, which makes him fascinating to play.”
He admits that stepping into such a dark role has been one of the most exciting challenges of his career. “It’s truly challenging because I have never played such a character before. Even on television, you rarely see characters written like this. Maybe in the past and even now, there have been very few such roles created. It’s thrilling as an actor to perform something so layered — raw, subtle, and real at the same time.”
For Ayush, Rudra is not just another villain — he’s unpredictable and layered. “There will be moments when viewers will feel scared and amazed at the same time. That’s what I want — that duality. He’s a villain who will make you question your judgment — maybe he’s evil, maybe not. I don’t want to reveal too much now because the curiosity and mystery are part of his charm,” he says.
Talking about his motivation for taking up the role, Ayush adds, “Honestly, it’s a selfish reason. I really wanted to play something like this. Whether I get another such chance on TV or not, I don’t know — so I took this up wholeheartedly. There’s a lot more to this character than what meets the eye.”
Ayush expresses his excitement and confidence with the initial response to the show being phenomenal. “From the makers to the writers, everyone has put in their best. The story is powerful, and the vision is cinematic. I truly believe Jagadhatri will make audiences sit up and take notice. It’s not just entertainment — it’s an experience,” he signs off.
