Raj B Shetty: I love making films from life experiences

It is clear from its trailer that ‘Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana’ (GGVV) is the antithesis of ‘Ondu Motteya Kathe’ (OMK, 2017). Raj B Shetty, who played a bald man with an inferiority complex in his debut ‘OMK’, plays an intense gangster in ‘GGVV’.

Like with his debut film ‘OMK’, he has donned the writer-director’s hat for ‘GGVV’. His two films have helped him arrive at a philosophy of filmmaking. “Cinema is special when its backdrop is local but the theme global,” he tells Vivek M V of Showtime in a free-wheeling chat.

‘GGVV’ is set in the Mangaluru underworld and revolves around two characters -- Hari (Rishab) and Shiva (Raj). “Man’s ego is fascinating. In Yakshagana, the clash of egos among Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara got me thinking. I have tried to explore this aspect in the film,” he says.

As he gears up for the film’s release on November 19, he talks about his journey so far.

As a first-time director, what were the takeaways from the success of ‘OMK’?

Many people told me that the film made them come back to theatres after 15 years. Some said I have the potential in me to become the next Kashinath. I felt happy, of course. But if you are content with compliments, then they will dictate your next film. So with ‘GGVV’, I wanted to understand what I can achieve and learn what I didn’t know.

Which films would you say have influenced your craft?

I was born in Bhadravathi and lived there till my third standard. I was mad about films. After that I moved to Mangaluru. I remember watching Upendra’s ‘A’, ‘Om’, and ‘Swasthik’. Later on, I watched a lot of Puttanna Kanagal films. Another filmmaker who has had an impact on me is Martin Scorsese. The way he extracts performances is impeccable. Along with films, the works of literature giants like Kuvempu, Poornachandra Tejaswi and Shivarama Karanth shaped my thinking. They taught me that you have to share your life experiences and observations to make a film that’s appreciated universally. That’s what Scorsese and Ford Coppola did.

When you set a film in a particular milieu, is there a worry that people who are not familiar might not understand certain nuances of it?

‘Bangalore Days’ was a Malayalam film set in Bengaluru. It became a blockbuster. With ‘GGVV’, we are trying to find the inner richness of the story and then transfer it to the audience. We aren’t fighting against films that are accessible for the masses. It boils down to the reliability factor. Even Hrithik Roshan might have a complex that he can look better. People could relate to this complex in ‘OMK’.

You have acted in five films after ‘OMK’. But your acting seems to be in control only under your direction...

Filmmakers cast you by looking at your previous performances. For instance, I am not at all like my character in ‘OMK’. I am outspoken and expressive. But people think I resemble my character and approach me to do similar roles. Maybe that’s the reason.

What is ‘GGVV’ about?

We have worked on the idea of ‘contradictory yet complimentary’. This is reflected in every aspect of the film, right from the poster, which has blue and red colours. The rustic-looking trailer has English music. Masculine emotions in it get a female voice. Shiva is a strong character while Hari is an ever changing man with a lot of control. The film looks at what happens when they contradict and compliment each other.

How did you prepare for your role as Shiva?

People kept asking me why I wear a ‘panche’ at all public events. It was basically to get into the skin of this character. So I began mentally preparing for it for a long time. Shiva is the most liberated person. He doesn’t hold anything back and he doesn’t know he is dangerous. Before the shooting of some intense scenes, I wouldn’t speak to anyone on the sets.

Rishab Shetty has grown as a bankable actor...

In the film, if you have observed in the trailer, he looks very innocent in one part. In another part, he is very serious. So this transformation adds so much to the movie. Normally, we convey the change through dialogues. But we want the audience to feel it visually. He plays Hari and for me, Hari is a theme that constantly changes. Hari is the representation of life. So to showcase the transition from innocence to maturity, I couldn't think of any other actor than Rishab.