The multi-faceted artiste sheds light on his latest release, its complex narrative and the sense of responsibility he personally feels today towards Kannada audiences.
Published Jul 26, 2024 | 10:12 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 26, 2024 | 11:11 AM
Raj B Shetty in a still. (Supplied)
Any project that Raj B Shetty takes on, is imbued, with the desire to both explore and excite, and his latest release Roopanthara is no different.
Although the multifaceted artiste takes the backseat on this one—functioning mainly as the presenter and one of the main leads (along with being the dialogue and additional screenplay writer)—he reveals that his involvement in the film began many years ago, when it was still a simple story, that was waiting to be fleshed out.
“It was all quite incidental. Mithilesh Edavalath, the writer-director of the Roopanthara, first pitched it back in 2017-18 to producer Suhan Prasad who also produced my debut feature Ondu Motteya Kathe (2017). Suhan would narrate it to me and I instantly grew fascinated by the idea, but I wasn’t meant to play any role at the time. Only when he revealed that he wanted to back the film did it become apparent that I could somehow be associated with it, in whatever way possible,” reveals Raj B Shetty.
He adds the idea, the emotional arcs and the overall essence of Roopanthara were so interesting that he didn’t even worry about the slightly short length of his role.
The dystopian world of ‘Roopanthara’. (Supplied)
“These were the days of absolute innocence when we all just wanted to make something great together. But that also speaks to the merit of this film—even today, if you were to approach me with a role as concise as this one, and if you tell me that I wouldn’t have to participate in the promotions, I would gladly accept. Provided the story is either as good or better”.
Roopanthara is best defined as a hyperlink narrative that commences in a dystopian land, where hope is as scarce as breathable air or clean, drinkable water. It then handholds us to the present day where four stories, comprising individuals of varied backgrounds and ages, come together following their courses and highlighting many themes like human destiny, transformation, morality, and so on.
Raj B Shetty in ‘Roopanthara’. (Supplied)
“Each one of us has a choice to change, to evolve. And most of it stems from the adversities we face because they pose a rather interesting question—do we accept the change or do we resist the change? This conundrum exists beyond the basic reasoning of good or bad and the film is its exploration—it doesn’t offer clear answers,” he shares.
Raj B Shetty leads one of the four segments with Jaishankar Aryar, Bharath GB, Lekha Naidu and others playing crucial parts in Roopanthara. Even though the film’s screenplay was written before the first lockdown in 2020, the makers are said to have made painstaking efforts to find the right actors to fit the bill.
Two of them are lesser-known theatre actors Somashekhar Bolegaon and Hanumakka who came to be part of the cast after a year-long search.
“Mithilesh wanted actors who looked and sounded from the milieu that the characters were from. Of course, we could have cast more noted actors in their place but that would have made audiences expect a certain kind of dynamism in the performances—instead, we wanted the actors to look simple yet pure,” adds Raj B Shetty.
Given the complex nature of Roopanthara, was he or anyone from the team concerned about alienating Kannada audiences?
“Well, I don’t suppose our audience was warmed up to receive a protagonist or a story like in Ondu Motteya Kathe. But they did. So, we knew that film was an entertainer and Roopanthara is more serious in tone—but I strongly believe if someone were to like the film, they are quite likely to recommend it to ten others. I believe this film is as honest an attempt as Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana,” he says.
But even though Raj B Shetty isn’t at the helm of things here, it is apparent that he is actively involved in the pre-release promotions only because he is excited about the film.
Somashekhar Bolegaon in ‘Roopanthara’. (Supplied)
Excitement is, indeed, the keyword for Raj B Shetty and just as much he looks to collaborate with a competent team, he asserts that he also needs to feel enthused as an artiste.
Raj B Shetty acknowledges the current challenge of attracting audiences to theatres. He explains that his focus now is on enhancing the quality of films. Previously, he avoided interfering with directors, but today he engages more actively by asking questions and collaborating with them. He is willing to help reduce budgets, improve scenes, and contribute in any way possible.
It isn’t to further or better his career but mainly to fulfill a responsibility he feels as an actor and creator to make better films for Kannada viewers.
And just as with any credible artiste, Raj B Shetty seems to have learned the tricks of the trade while on the job. As someone who made a compelling debut as a writer-director in 2017, he followed it up with the landmark success Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (2021), which won him praise not just locally but also from across the country—Anurag Kashyap, among many others, being one of the film’s admirers.
One looked forward to his next big outing, Toby (Raj only wrote and starred in the 2023 film with Basil Alchalakkal directing it) with the same kind of anticipation, but it fell short of expectations with the box office yield, in particular, taking the hit.
Raj B Shetty in ‘Toby’. (Supplied)
Quiz Raj B Shetty about what he took away from Toby and without mincing his words, he says, “We simply didn’t deliver a complete product as we did previously”.
He doesn’t shy away either from admitting that he and his team weren’t fully equipped or informed about executing a film of Toby’s kind, one that saw his trademark elements being moulded in a more ‘massy’ shape with hero elevations, fight sequences and whatnot.
“Everything seemed fine on paper and even the first cut looked good but the final product wasn’t complete, and we didn’t have any time left to fix it. And since the film was meant to be watched by the masses and when that didn’t happen, it left me devastated”.
Regardless, Raj B Shetty says that he managed to find a comforting space even in failure and that is because instead of letting his ego lead the way, he says that he accepted the result and worked on what was under his control. “The moment you know what failure feels like, you find yourself in a lot more ease and peace,” he adds, on a parting note.
(Edited by S Subhakeerthana)
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