Raj Deepak Shetty, a familiar name in the Kannada industry since 2005, began his acting journey in television before transitioning to films. With about 25 Kannada films to his credit, he later expanded his horizons to other languages, gaining recognition in Telugu through his portrayal of a villain in Ismart Shankar. Now he returns to Kannada cinema playing the antagonist in Raj B Shetty’s Toby.
“Over the past two and a half years, I hadn’t taken on any new assignments except completing a few pending projects in Telugu. The reason is that I wasn’t finding the right roles. I’ve accepted characters out of necessity before, but they all seemed similar. However, Toby was different. Plus, since Raj B Shetty was behind the script, it was an easy decision to take up the project,” says Raj Deepak.
Raj Deepak assures that he is not playing a run-of-the-mill antagonist, and it defies the stereotypes of a villain. “Even though my character Anand is the antagonist, he has a lot of complexities. He represents a negative-shaded character we might have encountered in our lives. He genuinely believes he’s always right without resorting to shouting or fighting; his emotions aren’t overt. I had to imbibe these aspects in my performance.”
When queried about the unique dimension he brings to the character, he points out, “In the shoes of a hero like Toby, encountering violence is common. However, Anand remains composed, sidestepping direct involvement in violent acts. Anand isn’t the typical villain.”
Reflecting on whether this role marks a resurgence in his career, Raj Deepak Shetty muses, “I waited for two and a half years to assume this role, and it felt like a fulfilling feast for my patience. With over 18 years of experience as an actor, playing this part in Toby brought me more satisfaction, and it is more than just a career revamp. It’s a distinct genre with a unique storytelling style. Through Toby, I’ve unlearned and gained new perspectives. The film has reshaped my outlook on cinema,” he concludes.