Raj Kundra on participating in The Traitors: It allowed me to reconnect with the public on human terms, not headlines

Time of India

5 hours ago

Raj Kundra
Raj Kundra
recently appeared on the ongoing reality show The Traitors, in which he was selected as one of the three traitors by host
Karan Johar
. However, his visible excitement about the role gave him away — leading to his early elimination by the remaining players.
Shortly after his exit, we caught up with Raj to understand what made it so difficult to stay composed in that crucial moment.
Was it the thrill of the game, the pressure, or something deeper?
'It was definitely a mix of thrill and relief, to be honest,' he shares, adding, 'I've lived under so much scrutiny in real life, where every move is calculated. For once, I was playing a game — no legal stakes, no press waiting outside — just strategy and fun.
That unfiltered emotion, that adrenaline? It gave me away. But it also gave people a rare look into the playful, less guarded version of me.'
During his time on the show, Raj jokingly said he wouldn't mind switching to a 'khalnaayak' (villain) role — a statement that reflected his intention to toy with public perception. 'Absolutely conscious,' he says about that move.
He adds, 'I've been called many names, so I thought — why not own the tag on my terms? But I wasn't there to be a dark, brooding villain.
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I wanted to be cheeky, unpredictable, and maybe even oddly likeable. It was my way of saying: I've been judged without people knowing the full story. Now, here's a version of me that's scripted by me.'
A conscious attempt at reinvention is what led him to The Traitors. 'I've been behind the scenes for a while — introspecting, healing, recalibrating. The Traitors came at the right time. It allowed me to reconnect with the public on human terms, not headlines,' he explains.
Raj, an entrepreneur and the husband of actress Shilpa Shetty, adds, 'It reminded me that I'm more than my past, and hopefully, helped remind others of that too.'
Was the show also a way to reintroduce himself to the audience — perhaps to offer an unfiltered version of who he is beyond the headlines? 'It's definitely a way to reconnect, and maybe to reset. I know some people might still be unsure about me, and that's okay. But The Traitors showed a side of me that's strategic, fun, and human. Not perfect and not edited. Just… me. If it confuses some people, so be it. At least it's real.
Also, I was a traitor — not a villain. Big difference,' he concludes with a smile.