Actor-director Raj B Shetty has had a busy year, with multiple film releases, upcoming projects - including one with his favorite director Anurag Kashyap - and constant traveling between Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Kerala for shoots. He expresses excitement about this phase of his life, especially after gaining a significant fan following in Kerala following his recent film Turbo with Mammootty. Raj mentions feeling busier than ever before, comparing his schedule to being in a war zone. Despite the hectic workload, he is fully immersed in his creative pursuits.

Raj elaborates on his various projects, explaining that he is involved in producing a film, writing and directing multiple projects in different languages, and working on a multi-lingual web series. He also mentions his acting roles in several films across different languages. Raj emphasizes that his busy schedule has not affected his creative process, as he efficiently manages his time by preparing for roles in advance and utilizing breaks between shots for other creative endeavors such as music production and writing. He is dedicated to maximizing every minute for creative activities.

Discussing the mindset required to create quality films, Raj emphasizes the importance of being open to any outcome when striving for excellence in filmmaking.Three movies - Toby, Swathi Mutthina Male Haniye, and Roopanthara - received critical acclaim but failed to perform well at the box office. The filmmaker acknowledges that he cannot force audiences to watch his films, expressing a realistic outlook. Despite the anticipation of a similar response for Swathi... and Roopanthara, he understood that they would likely receive a better reception on OTT platforms. While acknowledging the audiences' possible reluctance to watch such films in theaters, he considers the films' success in running for three weeks a significant achievement. He emphasizes the importance of being satisfied with any outcome when striving to make a good film.

For an actor, the success of a film can lead to increased opportunities and influence, enabling them to venture into film production and tell the stories they are passionate about. Raj B Shetty further discusses the rapid production phase in the Malayalam film industry and his approach to acting, emphasizing the importance of maintaining naturalness while embodying diverse characters to engage and captivate audiences.

Regarding the current obsession with pan-India trends in filmmaking, Raj points out that trends are ever-changing, and labeling them as such detaches the concepts of success and failure. He believes that sometimes what appears as success can actually be the biggest failure, emphasizing the dynamic nature of the industry.Many aspired to create large-scale projects, leading to our downfall. While producing big-budget films is appealing, it is also time-intensive. To maintain a balance, we should allow major star-driven films to release every two years. In the interim, there is a need for content-driven movies that can run successfully in theaters for 4-5 weeks, benefiting both cinema owners and filmmakers financially. Unfortunately, such films are scarce due to the lack of initiative.

Working alongside Mammootty has been an invaluable learning experience, fueling my passion for diverse roles. Engaging in conversations with him as an actor provided me with insightful guidance on character preparation, both physically and mentally. Instead of saying "taught," I would use the term "inspired" as the learning process is ongoing. Through these interactions, my appetite for challenging roles has significantly increased.