Amid discussions around the portrayal of women in Toxic, Yash has defended the film’s approach and highlighted the role of female perspectives in the story.
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Yash responds to criticism over portrayal of women in Toxic (PC: Twitter)
The conversation around Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups has moved beyond its action and scaleThe Yash-starrer has also faced questions over how women are presented in its promotional materialWith the film nearing its theatrical release, Yash addressed the criticism during a pre-release event and asked audiences to watch the complete story before forming an opinionThe actor also pointed towards the role of women in Geetu Mohandas’ film and said viewers may find something very different from what the trailer appears to suggestHis comments come after several scenes and promotional moments triggered debate online.
Yash says Toxic has a voice for women
During the pre-release event in Hyderabad, Yash noticed the number of women in the audience and used the moment to respond to the criticismHe said that society may have different opinions but insisted that the film gives its female characters space to express themselves.
Yash said, “Society… they may say, they may not accept it but the point is everybody will look upon youI am not respected for my money, I am respected for my work, and I know the director will prove that every woman and every girl can face every kind of situation, express their thoughts, express their vision and succeed in this society.”
He then directly encouraged women to watch the film rather than judging its female characters only through the promotional materialYash added, “There’s a voice for women in this film, unlike how it is coming across in the trailerWatch the movie and enjoyAll you girls, you will have a blast.”
See viral video of Yash here
#Yash – Gave a Best Message to the Girls – at #ToxicTheMovie Event.
Some People thinks These are Girls what they can do but Every Women face any kind of situation and succeed in the Society.pic.twitter.com/pOLPWlLsFM
— GetsCinema (@GetsCinema) August 22, 2026
Why Toxic faced criticism?
The film’s promotional material has generated mixed reactionsThe teaser drew attention for an intimate sequence involving Yash’s character and an unnamed womanSome viewers questioned whether such scenes were being presented through a male gaze.
The criticism continued with the release of the song Tabaahi which featured Yash and Kiara AdvaniTheir intimate moments became a talking point online and Kiara also faced trolling over the scenesThe trailer brought another concernSome viewers felt that the female characters did not appear to have enough prominence compared with Yash’s larger-than-life gangster personaOthers questioned whether the women would have meaningful roles in the story.
Geetu Mohandas directs the period gangster drama
Toxic is directed by Geetu Mohandas who is known for the National Award-winning film Liar’s Dice and Malayalam thriller MoothonThe project brings her grounded filmmaking style together with Yash’s massive commercial appeal.
The film features Yash in a double role and has a large ensemble cast that includes Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria, Huma Qureshi and Rukmini VasanthThe story is set against a period crime backdrop and promises a darker take on the gangster genreThe project is backed by KVN Productions and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations and has been mounted on a large scale.
Toxic builds strong pre-release buzz
The debate over the film’s portrayal of women has added another layer to the excitement surrounding ToxicAt the same time the film has been attracting attention through its advance bookings and Yash’s return to the big screen after the mammoth KGF franchise.
Toxic is scheduled to release in theatres on August 26Yash’s latest comments suggest that the actor wants audiences to experience the complete film before judging its treatment of women based only on the trailer or promotional material.
