Toby writer-actor Raj B Shetty on his distinctive filmmaking style: ‘I don’t want to make a film which I have already seen’

Toby, which hit screens on August 25, opened to rave reviews, with many praising the performances and technical elements, including the screenplay and direction. Now that the dubbed Malayalam version of Toby premiered in Kerala on September 22, Raj B Shetty is brimming with excitement.

In an exclusive conversation with The Indian Express, the ace filmmaker spoke candidly about Toby, its making, intricate details and the challenges the team faced.

‘Toby is about a father-daughter relationship’

Emphasising that Toby primarily explores human emotions, centring around the relationship between a daughter and her father, Raj reflected on his lifelong perspective on films, highlighting that, from his childhood to today, he has always viewed cinema as a medium that delves into the realm of emotions.

“Even the so-called mass films are about emotions as they make us feel bigger than what we are. This becomes particularly significant in the context of Toby since it is about a person whom we normally don’t recognise or see in the societal setup as he is too small to recognise. This illustrates the unique potential of cinema, allowing us to see, recognise and relate to people who are under the radar. That’s the magic of cinema,” he adds.

Significantly, Toby also draws parallels between the lives of humans and animals, which is evident in its trailer and posters as well. Notably, the first-look poster prominently features a goat in lieu of the main characters, emphasising this.

Opening up about how this thought evolved, Raj says: “Both our languages and cultures make extensive use of similes. We employ comparisons, such as likening people to oxen and horses to symbolise strength or referencing goats to signify weakness, among others. We also hold preconceived notions that associate specific animals with particular meanings. While animals aren’t the primary focus of Toby, I have endeavoured to convey the central character’s background and the fact that he is a meek person hailing from a powerless strata by drawing parallels between him and a goat.”

Basil Alchalakkal’s Toby, starring Raj B Shetty, Chaithra J Achar, Samyukta Hornad in the lead roles, is now running in theatres. (Image: Raj B Shetty/Instagram)

In contrast to his previous project, the dark gangster film Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana, Toby also has lighter tones and delves into various emotional dimensions of the character(s) in an endearing manner. “In the case of Shiva in GGVV, I represented him as death. So, I can’t add any light elements to him. Even during what might seem like ‘lighter’ moments, such as Shiva playing cricket and shouting at his friends, they were not light per se; his anger still loomed there. But in Toby, the character is represented as a goat. Goats have a funnier side too; they jump, run around and look very joyful as well. When we choose a character and observe its subtleties, we carefully construct the scenes to authentically represent it, without forcing other characteristics onto it. This approach can sometimes make the character appear funnier or happier, as seen in Toby,” Raj notes.

Toby’s most difficult aspect

Discussing the most difficult aspect of Toby, the writer-actor reveals, “The film’s most challenging aspect is that Toby can’t speak. He is mute. Thus, narrating a two-and-a-half-hour story with him as the central character was indeed tough, while writing and during performance. We had to grapple with questions like: How do we construct scenes without dialogues? How will Toby communicate? And even if he does communicate, how do we ensure that his body language appears natural? These were the hurdles we had to confront and crack.”

One of the most commendable features of Raj B Shetty’s films is their profound connection with the settings, where the locations also play a pivotal role in shaping the storytelling. Commenting on the evolution of his distinctive making style, Raj reflects, “The place where I grew up was rich with stories, and there is no beautiful film than life itself, as it is constantly evolving. In my hometown, stories and culture are inseparable; they are intertwined. Therefore, when I embark on a film project, I don’t want to make a movie which I have already seen. I’m not interested in crafting a father-daughter story filled with lengthy dialogues. I want to create a narrative where the father doesn’t explicitly refer to his daughter as such, and the daughter doesn’t necessarily perceive him as her father, yet you can still recognise that they are father and daughter. I find both challenge and passion in this approach.”

When asked about his preferences among acting, writing, and directing, Raj responded promptly, stating that he has a strong inclination towards writing. He expressed his deep appreciation for writing by quoting the renowned Kannada writer Kuvempu, who once said, “Srishti karya vallada sarva karya vo nirva sarathim,” which can be roughly translated as “the job which is not of creation is very boring”. Raj explained that writers are the creators, while directors thrive on the former’s creative work. Raj goes on to explain that for a writer, the process involves transforming fragments of personal experiences and life as such, impactful stories, and unanswered questions into cohesive narratives. This, he believes, is a true act of creation and the essence of creativity, which is why he holds a profound love for writing above all else.