Actor-director Raj B Shetty has had a busy year marked by a plethora of film releases, upcoming projects - including a collaboration with his favorite director, Anurag Kashyap - and frequent travel between Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Kerala for shoots. Raj expresses enthusiasm about this phase of his life, especially after gaining a substantial fan following in Kerala following the success of his recent film, Turbo, with Mammootty. Notably, he has two more Malayalam films in the pipeline. Raj shares, "I have never been this occupied with work before; the constant movement makes me feel like I'm in a battleground." He elaborates on his current workload, highlighting his involvement in various film projects and a web series. Although he acknowledges the lack of relaxation time, Raj finds joy in every moment dedicated to his creative endeavors. Despite his packed schedule, Raj ensures he dedicates time for preparation before his acting roles and utilizes breaks between shots for additional creative pursuits like music production and writing. He emphasizes the importance of making the most of every minute for the creative process. Raj also reflects on his approach to filmmaking, emphasizing the need to be accepting of all outcomes when aiming to produce quality work.Three films - Toby, Swathi Mutthina Male Haniye, and Roopanthara - received critical acclaim but failed to attract a large audience at the box office. The filmmaker acknowledges that he cannot compel viewers to watch his movies. He describes himself as a learner rather than an idealist, acknowledging that not every work he creates will resonate with audiences. Although he anticipated a similar response for Swathi... and Roopanthara, he believed they would perform better on OTT platforms. Despite not drawing large crowds to theaters, Roopanthara ran for three weeks and is considered a success. The filmmaker emphasizes the importance of accepting any outcome when striving to create quality films.

Success in a film can grant an actor significant influence, empowering them to produce projects and share the stories they have always wanted to tell. Raj B Shetty discusses the rapid production process in the Malayalam film industry and reflects on his approach to acting in the context of the recent success of Malayalam films. He credits his ability to maintain authenticity while embodying characters and aims to engage audiences beyond his external appearance. Raj also comments on the pan-India trend in filmmaking, suggesting that labeling something as a trend can negate ideas of success and failure, as trends are constantly evolving.Everyone aimed for grand productions leading to our failure. It is imperative to produce large films, but this requires considerable time. Major star-studded films should be released once every two years; however, in the meantime, we need content-driven movies that are not solely reliant on star power. These films should be capable of lasting in theaters for 4-5 weeks, generating sufficient revenue for both theater owners and filmmakers. Unfortunately, such films are not being made due to the lack of initiative.

"Collaborating with Mammootty has been an enlightening experience for me as an actor. Our dialogues have provided me with valuable insights, particularly on the importance of physical, psychological, and mental preparation for a character. I would say that I feel inspired rather than fully informed, as the learning process is ongoing. My interactions with him have fueled my appetite for challenging roles," he expresses.