Toby

Toby

Year: 2023

Runtime: 153 mins

Language: Kannada

Director: Basil Alchalakkal

Echo Score: 71
MysteryThrillerActionDrama

An estranged man deemed to be a beast vows to break free from the evil world and transform himself for his foster daughter.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Toby (2023)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Toby (2023). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Contemporary (present-day)

The events take place in modern times within a rural Kannada setting, with institutions like the police, remand home, and local venues reflecting current-day life. The story relies on contemporary-law-enforcement procedures and social networks typical of a present-day town. The timeframe anchors the drama in the realities of today’s society.

Location

Tamas Katte, Remand Home, Village, Church, Fair

The story centers around Tamas Katte, a rural town where the local police station functions as the central hub of investigation. Scenes unfold across the police station, a remand home, and community spaces like a church and a town fair, highlighting the close-knit yet volatile environment. These places shape the narrative with crime, authority, and social dynamics at their core.

🚓 Police setting 🏙️ Rural Karnataka 🕊️ Small town atmosphere

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:09

Main Characters – Toby (2023)

Meet the key characters of Toby (2023), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Sampath (Bharath GB)

A newly posted sub-inspector who arrives at Tamas Katte police station ready to investigate Jenny’s disappearance. He embodies determined duty but must navigate a challenging, sometimes obstructive system. His persistence sets the investigation in motion and exposes hidden tensions within the town.

👮‍♂️ Officer 🕵️‍♂️ Investigator 🧭 Duty-bound

Toby (Raj B Shetty)

A troubled figure with a violent past who becomes entangled in a web of crime and manipulation. He struggles with a loss of voice and agency, grappling with loyalty and culpability. His actions drive the central conflict and culminate in a tragic arc.

🔪 Complex psyche 🗡️ Tragic hero 🧭 Conflict-driven

Jenny (Chaithra J Achar)

A key catalyst whose disappearance triggers Sampath’s investigation. Jenny is caught between family ties and the town’s power dynamics, and her fate reveals the risks faced by those who challenge corrupt authority. Her death marks a turning point in the story.

🎭 Catalyst 💔 Vulnerable 🕯️ Mystery spark

Savithri (Samyukta Hornad)

A sex worker who knows Toby’s past and provides crucial insight into his relationships. She embodies complex emotion and social stigma, illustrating how love and desperation intersect in a harsh environment.

❤️ Love 🕊️ Marginalized 🧭 Hidden truths

Ananda (Deepak Shetty)

The village chief whose crimes entrap Toby and others. He manipulates people and uses violence to maintain control, representing the corrupt power structure at the center of the conflict.

🧭 Power 💥 Corruption 👁️ Control

Shalini (Sandhya Arakere)

Toby’s neighbour who reveals crucial information about Toby and Jenny. She acts as a bridge between Toby’s world and the town’s secrets, highlighting the community’s interconnected relationships.

🗣️ Informant 🤝 Community ties 🕵️ Witness

Damodhara (Gopalkrishna Deshpande)

A mortuary worker who shares memories of Toby and hints at the darker side of the town’s criminal network. He adds texture to the story by linking past events to present actions.

⚰️ Mortuary insider 🗂️ Past connections 🧩 Clues

Priest (Yogi Bankeshwar)

A priest who interacts with Toby and others, offering guidance or distractions within the town’s moral landscape. He represents the spiritual layer amidst crime and punishment.

⛪ Spiritual guide 🕊️ Moral conflict 🧭 Guidance

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:09

Major Themes – Toby (2023)

Explore the central themes of Toby (2023), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🗡️ Vengeance

Toby’s pursuit of vengeance against Anand drives the central conflict and intensifies the town’s turmoil. The vendetta pulls in multiple characters, exposing loyalties and betrayals. The violence precipitated by revenge leaves lasting scars on individuals and the community.

🕊️ Redemption

Amidth the crime and anger, characters seek redemption through acts of accountability and reconciliation. Sampath’s investigation opens pathways for restitution, while Toby wrestles with his past and his capacity to change. Redemption remains fragile amid ongoing danger.

💔 Tragedy

The narrative is marked by losses: Jenny’s death and Toby’s downfall underscore the story’s somber tone. The combination of deception, crime, and violent retribution reveals the human cost of a town's power struggles. Tragedy permeates both personal fates and the wider social fabric.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:09

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Gritty Redemption Tragedies like in Toby

Stories where a flawed anti-hero seeks redemption at a brutal, fatalistic cost.If you liked Toby's story of a broken man seeking redemption through brutal vengeance, you'll find similar emotionally heavy thrillers here. These movies feature anti-heroes on fatalistic quests, where the fight for redemption often ends in a somber, sacrificial finale.

tragicredemptivegrittysombervengefulbrutalsacrificial

Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows a deeply flawed protagonist, haunted by a tragic past, who embarks on a violent and desperate quest for personal redemption. This journey is often intertwined with themes of revenge and justice, but the story structure is inherently tragic, leading to a climax where redemption is achieved only through immense personal sacrifice or death.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared focus on a dark, emotionally heavy redemption arc that ends in tragedy. They deliver a specific experience: the emotional satisfaction of a character's transformation is undercut by the somber, fatalistic cost of that change, creating a powerful and bittersweet catharsis.

Methodical Crime Investigation Thrillers like in Toby

Thrillers where a dark investigation slowly peels back layers of corruption and personal trauma.For viewers who appreciated Toby's steady unraveling of a dark mystery tied to personal tragedy, this list collects similar investigative thrillers. These films focus on a gritty, methodical probe into crime and corruption, where the search for answers exposes deep emotional wounds.

investigativegrittyoppressivecomplexsombertensecorrupt

Narrative Summary

The plot is driven by a central investigation—often into a murder or a corrupt system—that methodically reveals information. This procedural structure is layered with flashbacks and character studies, exposing the protagonist's traumatic past and the moral compromises of a corrupt world. The complexity comes from intertwining the external mystery with an internal, psychological unraveling.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a specific narrative engine: a steady-paced investigation that serves as a vehicle for exploring dark themes like grief, corruption, and moral ambiguity. The similarity lies in the fusion of a crime procedural with a heavy, character-driven drama, resulting in a tense and somber viewing experience.

Unlock the Full Story of Toby

Don't stop at just watching — explore Toby in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Toby is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Toby Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Toby, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Toby Summary

Toby Timeline

Track the full timeline of Toby with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Toby Timeline

Toby Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Toby that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Toby Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Toby

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Toby: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Toby