Yash takes centre stage in Toxic with Kiara Advani in a key role as the film blends intense drama, stylish action and larger-than-life moments into an ambitious cinematic spectacle.
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Yash and Kiara Advani bring style in Toxic (PC: Twitter)
- Director: Geetu Mohandas
- Cast: Yash, Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth
- Duration: 3h 14m
- Rating: 4
Gangster dramas are usually linear; one might play with the shades of characters a little bit, but arch remains the same, but Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is here to change the gameIt’s definitely a massy and ambitious period drama, but with a surprisingly emotional coreIt’s not just about two rival butting heads; the storytelling is so layered, the characters are complex, dealing with internal and external conflicts, the dimensions of redemption, loyalty, love and power, and the scale of the movie just blows your mindIt’s one of the rarest movie, which people will be talking about for a long timeIt’s an experience of primal action.
The film does have a fairy-tale feel to it, Geetu Mohandas creates a world that is filled with contrasting elements, such as crime, love, family, jealousy and revenge, but presents it with style, ambition and scale, an epic silver-screen entertainer. The story takes us into a crime-driven world where power comes with a price and loyalty is paramountThe world of Toxic is interesting, as it doesn’t explain itself, it unfolds.
The core of the film remains surprisingly emotional, but it is trueAll the characters are propelled by love and family, and when loyalties are tested, relationships are pushed to their limits, and redemption comes with a price.
Yash is at the centre of it allPlaying Raya and his son Ticket, he gets to explore two very different sides of the storyRaya is closely connected to the gangster world and its brutal rules, while Ticket brings another emotional dimensionYash handles both with easeHe has the ability to make a quiet moment work and then switch into full mass mode when the scene demands it.
The supporting cast is equally impressive and anchors the film with amazing performances. Nayanthara as Ganga and Kiara Advani as Nadia bring much-needed emotion into the chaos. Kiara, delivers an amazing performances with her warmth and vulnerability to her characterRukmini Vasanth is one of the pleasant surprises as MellisaHer performance is understated, but it stays with you.
Huma Qureshi plays the role of Elizabeth, has a strong presence and she makes her presence count with her stellar performanceTara Sutaria plays the role of Rebecca, Akshay Oberoi as Tony, Darrell D’Silva as Salvador and Sudev Nair’s Karmadi also have their own motivations and arcs.
Geetu takes her time to build the stage during the first half, setting the premise and character, and then things are ushered into total chaos in the second halfThis is packed with action and brutal confrontations. The second half is an adrenaline ride, its frantic and brutal, but nothing seems forced or rushing towards the ending, The action is powerful and necessary, which is something of a rarityEach action piece is personal, required and perfectly justified, as an audience you understand the conflict of intentions among the character, and amidst of all that chaos, Geetu doesn’t let go off the emotional thread that keeps the emotional pulse beating in the film.
The filmmaker doesn’t compromise the core of the story for a mass moment, and that is the beauty of the filmToxic is about family, love and loyalty. It is about what people are willing to sacrifice for the ones they love and what redemption can really cost.
The first ever collaboration of Yash and Geetu is a milestone, the world of Toxic, is something no one has ever seen before, it’s an ambitious and grand effort, to pave way for layered and visually stunning storytellingThere is not just one frame in the movie which feels out of place. Toxic is whole lot more than just a massy gangster filmYes, there are guns, knife, crime and big action sequences, but there is also family, romance, jealousy, loyalty and redemption, all integrated in one epic tale.
Backed by KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations LLP, with Yash’s towering presence, and Geetu’s unique and layered story-telling, Toxic becomes a big-screen experience which will definitely appeal to the masses.
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