Toaster, the black comedy thriller starring Rajkummar Rao and Sanya Malhotra, marks the directorial debut of Vivek Daschaudary. In an exclusive interview, the director opens up about the film's response, his collaboration with Rajkummar Rao, and the intention behind making the character of Ramakant relatable.
On the response to Toaster, Vivek says, "The reactions have been very warm so far. The film has been out for a few days, and I am hoping that the reactions will keep growing from here on."
"There was a time when more small-scale films like these were being made, but it fizzled out after a point. In the early 2000s to the 2010s, there were still so many films like these, and they did well. It became the flavour of the season. Now I hope Toaster is in line with more such films to be made, with more stories from our cities and towns," he adds.
Rajkummar Rao not only stars in Toaster but has also co-produced it along with his creative partner Patralekhaa under their newly launched KAMPA Films banner. Talking about their collaboration, Vivek says, "It was Patralekhaa who did all the producing part of the job for the film. It was Patralekhaa who took on the challenge, and she did it all by herself. She did a great job."
On the character of Ramakant, Vivek says, "The intention was not to make him unlikable. We always wanted to have that middle ground where his actions would make someone say, 'Aisa kyu kar raha hain (Why is he doing this)?' But that is how some people function. Aisa karte hain log (This is how it is for some)."
"I wanted the audience to relate to some of that 'kanjoosi' of Ramakant, with their own family or someone from the neighbourhood- that, yes, that person was somehow like Ramakant only. I feel it is part of Indian culture; it is rooted in something. Saving money. It will always be there. It is a trait; some outgrow it while others continue to live with it," he adds.
Toaster is available to watch on Netflix.
