Film editor Ruben is popular for his impeccable work across languages in several blockbusters over the years like Raja Rani, Bigil, Pushpa: The Rise and Jawan. He is currently working on Shah Rukh Khan's King and Allu Arjun's Raaka.
But there’s also another niche interest he nurses in the field of editing: cutting promos and trailers.
Though he could not onboard Toxic as the film’s editor when approached due to scheduling issues (Ujwal Kulkarni eventually took on the mantle), Ruben wanted to be part of Yash’s film and vision in some way; he eventually became the promo editor for the much-anticipated gangster thriller.
“I really enjoy being a promo editor for other films; it’s very exciting for me. I always choose the projects I want to work on carefully, and I pitched myself for Toxic. In fact, I had actually been approached earlier to edit the film, but the timelines didn’t match. But I’ve always wanted to work with Yash; he’s a wonderful gentleman, a genuinely kind person who treats everyone with a lot of respect, and, most importantly, he’s incredibly passionate about what he does. I want to work with people who have that kind of energy.”
The entire visual promotions campaign for Toxic was handled by Ruben Trailer House, led by Ruben, and the company was involved across the film’s promotional journey, working on key video assets including the Introducing Raya and Ladies & Ladies promos, as well as contributing to the theatrical trailer and the pre and post-release video promotions.
“The first promo we worked on was Raya’s introduction in Toxic; the idea of a guy blowing up a place while having sex in a car was so explosive and crazy. We knew from the beginning that the entire campaign had to be a head-turner,” says Ruben.
“People may love the film or hate it, but they should want to watch it. Even with the naked shot of Yash in the later trailer... it was to show that there is nothing to hide in this film. There was a collective vision to bring the essence and scale of the entire film into the trailer and promos. You shouldn’t be able to ignore Toxic: that became the philosophy behind the entire promotional campaign.”
He adds that he had a great learning curve working with both director Geethu Mohandas and Yash. “Yash really invests himself in designing the promotions as well. He’s been doing that right from the KGF. Going forward, I’d blindly work with him again in any capacity to contribute to his vision.”
Directed by Geetu Mohandas, the film stars Yash, Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth in leading roles. Yash plays a dual role in the film, starring as a father his son. Shot simultaneously in Kannada and English, the film's themes revolve around loyalty, redemption, brutal action and the price to pay for love.
Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups opens in theatres tomorrow on August 26.