Raju was born of Indian descent and grew up in Darien, Illinois, where he attended Hinsdale South High School. After graduating, he enrolled at the University of Michigan, where he was the sports editor for the school paper. Early on, Raju found a job as a freelance reporter for The Daily Herald in northern Illinois. He then went into the casting department, being a casting assistant for the TV series Gideon's Crossing, and for films such as The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Starting in 2003, Raju began directing documentaries and episodes for TV shows such as Scandal, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Criminal Minds.