Raj B Shetty: The learnings from the failure of Toby ensured a success like Su From So
During the promotions of his new film Rakkasapuradhol, actor-filmmaker Raj B Shetty spoke about owning the failure of some of his films and not assigning blame and how that turned out to be a boon.
Last Updated: 11.02 PM, Feb 06, 2026
Kannada actor-filmmaker Raj B Shetty may only be a few films old, but he’s seen both success and failure already. He’s not one to bask in success or to pin the blame of failure on someone or something else. “When you fail, no one is ready to take ownership, because it is hard. But you should and when you do, you will realize your failings and can aim to become a better version,” he said, speaking to Kannada Filmy Club.
Why Raj B Shetty doesn't consider Toby a failure
His last directorial, Swathi Mutthina Male Haniye (SMMH), was a film that he knew would not work theatrically. The intention of that film was different, he says, adding that a lot of people found it far more relatable than Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (GGVV) . “It had a personal and rather therapeutic effect. It would have been easy to make another big gangster film immediately after Garuda Gamana, but I figured it was the best time to attempt a film like Swathi Mutthina Male Haniye. It was written like a poem and made on a small scale. I’ve never felt that I should not have made it,” he reasons.
Also read: Rakkasapuradhol movie review: Raj B Shetty’s crime thriller is a bumpy yet satisfactory ride
Like SMMH, Raj says that he is also very proud of Toby, which was not about commercial failure. “With Toby, that we were not able to deliver the film we wanted to make. That is the reason it is a big failure. It got us to take a deep dive into what went wrong, and the learnings from the failure of Toby ensured a success story like Su From So. In that sense, for me, Toby is my biggest victory,” says Raj.
The actor-filmmaker elaborates that he did not have any learnings from Ondu Motteya Kathe or GGVV. Toby was the eye-opener, which forced him to introspect and zero in on the shortcomings. “What did we know and what did we remain unaware of? How do we learn that which we didn’t know earlier?” says Raj, also admitting that he was hurt initially, but then overcame that to emerge stronger than before.
Rakkasapuradhol FAQs
Q. Where to watch Rakkasapuradhol?
A. Rakkasapuradhol released in theatres on February 6, 2026. After the theatrical run it will begin streaming on Zee5, via OTTplay Premium also. It is expected around March 6-7.
Q. What is Rakkasapuradhol about?
A. Rakkasapuradhol is a mystery thriller about a murder case, that the towns folk believe is the work of the Kolli Deva. Is there a supernatural element to this killing?