Raj B Shetty on Landlord: As antagonist, I got a character with a lot of emotional range

Actor-filmmaker Raj B Shetty is the villain in Duniya Vijay’s Landlord, directed by Kaatera writer Jadesha K Hampi. The film is set for release on January 23, 2026

Raj B Shetty in Landlord

Raj B Shetty, who was last seen in a pivotal role in the comedy Su From So , and has a Christmas release in Arjun Janya’s directorial debut, 45, is a part of Duniya Vijay’s next as a leading man, Landlord. The film has been directed by Jadesha K Hampi, who’s made Gentleman and Guru Shishyaru earlier and wrote Darshan’s last, Kaatera . Raj is the antagonist in the tale, a role that he took up because of the sheer emotional range that it offered.

Raj B Shetty gets makeover for Landlord

The team recently revealed a character promo for Raj’s character, and during the event, the actor spoke about how he almost did not do the film initially owing to scheduling issues. His reluctance had nothing to do with the character, but that he could not accommodate dates at the time. He eventually worked it out upon Jadesha’s insistence and took up the role, for which he’s been given a makeover of sorts. Raj sports a full head of hair in the film, which is set to release on January 23, 2026.

“As the villain, he experiences a wide range of emotions, which is something I have not seen in commercial cinema. It is generally reserved for the hero. The antagonist may be a bad person, but the emotions he feels are raw and true to him. This character gave me the space to explore all of this. This is a bad guy who serves as a red flag about the kind of person one should not be,” says Raj, adding that he was impressed by Jadesha’s writing of the character.

Landlord is a subject set against a village backdrop that explores farmers’ rights, which has Kaatera vibes. Vijay is paired with Rachita Ram in the film. His daughter Rithnya is also on the cast.

Landlord FAQs

Q. What is Jadesha K Hampi's claim to fame?

A. Jadesha K Hampi has made films like Gentleman and Guru Shishyaru earlier and served as writer for Darshan Thoogudeepa's Kaatera befor e returning to direction with Landlord.

Q. When is Landlord releasing in theatres?

A. Landlord will be in theatres on January 23, 2026. The film stars Duniya Vijay in the lead, along with Rachita Ram and Raj B Shetty.

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