Toby Movie Review: ‘Toby’, a Film that Speaks to the Heart without Words; A Mix of Pluses and Minuses

Toby Movie Review

The story of the person named ‘Toby’ has been attempted to be portrayed as authentically as possible by the directors. However, this is evident only in certain scenes. The rest of the scenes are presented with a touch of realism by the director, Maas Kamarchial. The first half progresses quite slowly, yet all the actors’ performances are appealing.

Actor Raj B. Shetty has created a trend in the Kannada film industry. He has left his own unique imprint. All his movies also appear different. In films like ‘Ondu Motteya Kathe’ and ‘Gubbi Mele Brahmastra,’ he showcased distinct narratives. Now, the film ‘Toby’ has been released. Even though he hasn’t directed this film, his flavor is still evident in it. There’s a considerable amount of comedy as well. Raj B. Shetty has taken his acting to another level through the character of ‘Toby’. His performance reflects his style even though he’s not the director of this film. The comic aspect is also well integrated. In terms of acting, Raj B. Shetty has elevated himself to another level through the character of ‘Toby’. The way he presents emotions without uttering a word is remarkable.

Toby Star Cast and Performance :

Actress Chaithra Achar deserves special mention for her acting. In this film, Raj and Chaithra play the roles of father and daughter. However, the sentiment between them is portrayed differently. The character ‘Jenni’ is convincingly portrayed by Chaithra. In the second half, her role gains more scope. It seems ‘Toby’ has some similarity with the film ‘Gubbi Mele Brahmastra’. Observing the traits of the characters in ‘Toby,’ one might be reminded of that film. Despite this similarity, ‘Toby’ is definitely a different kind of movie. The roles and emotions that viewers have not seen much of so far are present here. Even though there are not many dialogues, this character has a thousand emotions inside. Love, hatred, affection, anger, helplessness, and other feelings are encapsulated in this character. Raj B. Shetty’s portrayal of ‘Toby’ draws attention even when he doesn’t utter a word.

In some aspects, the film indeed appears to have similarities between the earlier film ‘Gubbi Mele Brahmastra’ and ‘Toby’. When observing the qualities of the characters in ‘Toby’, there’s a reminiscent feel of the earlier film. By putting aside this similarity, one would feel that this is truly a different film. It’s a challenging role, as Toby does not speak! But he harbors thousands of emotions within. In terms of dialogue delivery, acting, and expression of emotions, Raj B. Shetty steals the show.

Regarding the pacing of the film, the first half moves slowly. For viewers who prefer a faster narrative, this might test their patience. In the second half, some scenes progress hurriedly, leaving out certain details. Due to this, an awkward feeling arises at times. The conflict where a person fighting for his life confronts death is presented forcefully. The transition from a person struggling in the hospital bed to someone who stands up and fights with 10-20 people within a few hours seems quite unnatural. Because of such elements, ‘Toby’ loses some points. From a making-of perspective, this film is well-made.

Overall, ‘Toby’ attempts to authentically portray a touching story without words. The film contains both strong points and drawbacks.