“Raunak is So Close to My Heart: Hardik Thakkar Talks About His Role in Swipe Crime

MUMBAI: Hardik Thakkar, now streaming in Versatile Motion Pictures’ Swipe Crime on Amazon MX Player, plays the charismatic and business-savvy Raunak. Reflecting on his character, Hardik shared, “Raunak is so close to my heart. At first, I thought of him as a reflection of myself, but with a big, crazy family and lots of money. But there’s so much more to him—he’s business-minded, enjoys lavish things, but also has a bit of a miserly streak.”

Raunak, as Hardik describes, is someone who knows how to balance his love for luxury with a practical side. “He’s the kind of person who spends money on the right things. He loves hanging out with his friends, but family always comes first. He’s supportive, uses his skills to help his friends, and knows how to make money. And of course, he enjoys partying and chilling when he can,” Hardik explained.

However, Hardik admits that Raunak and he share only some similarities. “Raunak loves to be stylish and always looks good, whereas I’m more of a slob. But I really enjoy playing Raunak—he’s fun, direct, and smart. What I appreciate the most as an actor is how the writers and director never focus on his size or food habits. They’ve done an amazing job of not stereotyping him,” he added.

Hardik believes the audience will easily connect with Raunak due to his business mindset and resourcefulness. “Raunak’s outlook on life, his ability to make things happen with a little ‘jugaad,’ and his suave demeanor with both friends and girls are traits that people can relate to,” he said.

Beyond the character itself, Hardik emphasized the importance of each role in Swipe Crime. “Every character plays a vital part in the show. The fun part is that we all come from different parts of the country, yet we form a close-knit group. Raunak, in particular, plays a key role in solving problems when no one else can help,” he said.

Off-screen, Hardik shares that his bond with the cast is just as strong. “We’ve all become such good friends; we can literally hang out together and lose track of time. On-screen, I share great chemistry with most of the cast, but I particularly enjoy my scenes with Rishab, Arun, Ronit, and Nihal. We love taking on Prabhneet’s case together! I definitely wish I had more scenes with Simran and Jhanvi, but that only makes me more excited for season 2,” Hardik added with a smile.

Talking about working with Versatile Motion Pictures, Hardik had nothing but praise. “One of the best teams I’ve ever worked with. Harsh has such a clear vision, and his production sets are brilliant. The vibes on set were so good, everything felt so real, which helped us as actors. I loved working with the whole team—they’re so professional and so good at what they do. Absolutely chumeshwari!” Hardik concluded.

With Swipe Crime now streaming, Hardik Thakkar’s portrayal of Raunak has captured hearts, and his dynamic with the cast adds depth to a show that promises more twists and turns in the seasons to come.