Su From So’s Raj B Shetty on the ‘Shetty mafia’ collaborations: It comes from a place of honesty and passion

The RRR of Kannada cinema, Rakshit Shetty, Rishab Shetty and Raj B Shetty, and the films that they do, either as solo projects or as collaborations, like Sarkari Hiriya Prathamike Shaale, Ulidavaru Kandanthe, Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana, 777 Charlie (all of which are available on OTTplay Premium), or Kantara, come from a place of immense honesty and passion for cinema. The trio is often mocked in Sandalwood circles as the Shetty mafia or gang, which Raj laughs off and wonders why others in the industry are not able to replicate their mantra.

Raj on friendship with Rishab and Rakshit: There is no competition between us

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India following the success of Su From So, Raj said that those who prefer to work in silos and are unwilling to collaborate, in order to keep all the glory and fame to themselves should not be pointing fingers at him, Rakshit and Rishab, who have figured out how to get the best out of their friendship that is driven by cinema.

Also read: Rakshit Shetty says Midway to Moksha is a script for him, Raj and Rishab, but will it get done? 

Raj says that their relationship is because of cinema, but the friendship is deeper because all three are honest and deeply passionate about cinema. Each wants to do great things in cinema, and yet, there is no competition between them, which is the beauty of their relationship, he reckons.

The actor-filmmaker explained that he met Rakshit and Rishab after he’d done Ondu Motteya Kathe, while they’d known each other for several years. Rakshit and Rishab reached out to Raj after seeing and loving the film, which became the starting point for their friendship. Although Raj had made a film by then, he was still unsure about his skill set, considering that he hailed from a small town in Mangaluru, while Rakshit and Rishab had lived in Bengaluru a while and were more clued in with the happenings in the industry and filmmaking.

Also read: Su from So movie review: JP Thuminad’s delightful comedy has its heart and soul in the right place 

Raj then asked if he could write for them to understand how cinema operates and that’s how he became one of the writers of Rishab’s Sarkari Hiriya Prathamika Shaale and Kantara, as well as Rakshit’s production, 777 Charlie. As far as his own Garuda Gamana Vrishbha Vahana goes, Raj added that while Rishab was on the cast, once he showed the film to Rakshit, the latter asked if he could present it in theatres, which, Raj was more than happy about.

FAQs

Q. Are Rakshit, Rishab and Raj B Shetty related?

A. No, Rakshit, Rishab and Raj B Shetty are not related. All three actor-filmmakers hail from Mangaluru, but different parts of the coastal belt. They often collaborate with each other, which led to speculation that they are related.

Q. What is the Shetty mafia/gang or who are the Shetty brothers?

A. Shetty mafia, Shetty brothers and Shetty gang are names that have come up for the three mainstream Kannada filmmakers from Mangaluru, Rishab Shetty, Rakshit Shetty and Raj B Shetty, each of who has contributed in putting Kannada cinema on the global map.