The simpler a comedy sequence appears, the harder it is to pull off. It may look simple on paper or screen but executing it is incredibly difficult. It’s, however, so satisfying when it works,” says actor Rajkummar Rao, who plays the lead as the miserly Ramakant in the just-released quirky, dark comedy Toaster on Netflix. The actor, who has played several memorable everyday hero characters, took on the challenging task of bringing to life Ramakant, who tries all tricks to get a toaster, which he bought as a wedding gift, back after the wedding is cancelled.
Building the character of Ramakant meant finding details that define him and make him well-rounded. “I always look for something specific — almost like a prop or habit. With him, it was about his frugality. For instance, when he switches off the mosquito racquet that’s put on charge because it might increase the electricity bill, it becomes a moment and adds to his traits,” says Rao, known for his compelling performances in movies such as Shahid (2013), Trapped (2016), Newton (2017) and Srikanth (2024).
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While drama remains Rao’s preferred genre, he is also known for his comic-timing in Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017), Stree (2018) and Ludo (2020) among others. “For comedy to work, you need a strong script, the right cast and a director who understands timing,” he says. “Paresh (Rawal) ji once narrated how even after giving multiple takes for a particular scene, it was still not working out. When he was told, ‘Sir, kuchh funny kar dijiye (Sir, please do something funny),’ his response was: ‘Funny chahiye toh funny likho na (Write a funny scene if you want humour on camera)’. So, a good script is crucial.”
Toaster, which follows the story of Ramakant’s petty fixation of getting the appliance back, eventually spiralling into an unexpected situation, is directed by Vivek Daschaudhary and produced by Patralekhaa. This marks the debut of the actor, who is also married to Rao, as a producer. Patralekhaa is also producing the forthcoming thriller-drama Raftaar, scheduled for theatrical release on July 24, under the banner KAMPA Films, which she has co-founded with Rao. For her, taking on production responsibilities has been an eye opener. “It may sound fancy but it is a 24×7 job. You can’t switch off,” says Rao. Patralekhaa and Rao had their first child, daughter Parvati, last November.
For Patralekhaa, stepping into production while embracing motherhood turned out to be “a blessing in disguise.” “This actually pulled me out of a black hole,” she admits, referring to the pandemic years when the Toaster script first came to Rao. When they approached Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, Director of Original Films, Netflix India, it immediately struck a chord with her. “I have known Patralekhaa and Rajkummar for a long time. They are extremely focused on their craft, and there is a certain goodwill they bring along,” says Kapoor Sheikh.
Vivek Daschaudhary
For Rao, the move into production felt organic. “It was a natural progression. We have been part of the industry for a long time and there are so many stories we want to tell. Often, those stories don’t get made. We thought, ‘Why not take that step ourselves?’ Cinema is our shared passion,” he says. The cast of Toaster brings together several actors, including Sanya Malhotra, Archana Puran Singh, Abhishek Banerjee, Farah Khan, Upendra Limaye, Vinod Rawat, Jitendra Joshi and Seema Pahwa.
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To direct the movie, Rao roped in Daschaudhury. “We have known each other for a while and were trying to develop something else but Toaster felt like the right project to begin with. Everyone has an anecdote about someone like Ramakant that they know,” says the debutant director. Having worked extensively in advertising, this film marks a natural next step for him as a filmmaker.
The camaraderie on set helped create fun moments. “Comedy gives you a huge playground. You can improvise, play off your co-actors. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But I had a lot of fun. Archana ji is brilliant and Farah brings such a unique energy. Abhishek and I are friends. We share the same passion for cinema. That helps in comedy because you have to be present in the moment. Your co-actors keep you on your toes,” he says. Daschaudhury chips in to clarify that in the movie, the characters played by Banerjee and Rao are “definitely not friends.”
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With this movie, Patralekhaa begins her journey as a producer and Rao returns to the familiar territory of comedy. Reflecting on this, Rao says: “I want to do selective projects but they should stay with people. In the past, I have played such diverse roles. That’s how I want to be known… as someone you can’t box in.” He is also quick to defend comedy’s place in cinema. “People often think of comedy as one-note but it’s not. Films like Bareilly Ki Barfi, Ludo or Toaster show how layered it can be.”
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When asked about the increase in the number of movies that celebrate masculinity, Rao believes there is room for every kind of storytelling. “All kinds of films can co-exist. No one is forcing anyone to watch anything. But there should be space for everything,” says Rao, whose new movies include Nikam, based on public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam’s life and Dada: The Sourav Ganguly Story.
Vivek Daschaudhary