The recently released teaser for Kannada superstar Yash's upcoming film 'Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups' has set the internet ablaze, not just for its stylish visuals but for reigniting a fierce debate on the objectification of women in cinema and allegations of directorial double standards.
Visual Flair Meets Controversy
Released on January 8 to coincide with Yash's birthday, the 59-second glimpse into 'Toxic' presents a world of high-octane glamour, swagger, and vice. The teaser shows Yash, with undeniable charisma, walking into a pub, smoking, amidst visuals of club dancers, women, and implied drug use. However, one particular moment has become the epicenter of the controversy: a scene inside a moving car where Yash is seen in an intimate moment with a woman. The car's motion, combined with the flashy packaging, led many viewers and critics to accuse the sequence of being deliberately titillating and objectifying women purely for viewer excitement.
What has amplified the backlash is the identity of the film's director: Geetu Mohandas. Mohandas, an acclaimed filmmaker, was previously a vocal critic of misogynistic portrayals in movies. This stark contrast between her past stance and the 'Toxic' teaser has fueled accusations of hypocrisy and selective outrage, bringing an old controversy roaring back to life.
The Ghost of 'Kasaba' Returns
The current uproar is directly linked to a past cinematic debate. Years ago, Geetu Mohandas and actor Parvathy Thiruvothu had strongly criticized a scene in Mammootty's film 'Kasaba'. The scene involved Mammootty's morally grey character grabbing a woman police officer by her belt. The 'Kasaba' director, Nithin Renji Panicker, faced significant backlash at the time, with Mohandas's critique being a central part of the discourse.
With the 'Toxic' teaser's release, that unresolved debate has resurfaced with renewed vigor. Critics are now questioning why the same standards Mohandas applied to 'Kasaba' are not being seen in her own work. The central accusation is that the definition of misogyny and objectification appears to shift based on convenience and the market involved—in this case, a big-ticket Kannada film starring a pan-India star like Yash.
Nithin Renji Panicker's Sharp Retort
The most pointed attack came from Nithin Renji Panicker himself. On January 8 of last year, when the first birthday peek of 'Toxic' was released, Panicker took to Instagram to express his anger and frustration. He posted a mocking note that directly called out what he perceived as Mohandas's hypocrisy.
He wrote, "A visual narrative of political standpoints, completely devoid of misogyny, free from the objectification of women’s bodies, and entirely lacking the 'male gaze,' where even the 'masculinity' seen in Kasaba fades under scrutiny... Someone who boldly shouted 'SAY IT, SAY IT!!' and pushed the gears forward. But when it came to crossing state lines, they conveniently revised their definition of misogyny to suit their comfort. #Toxic."
More recently, Panicker shared another seemingly indirect post, captioning it: "When the ‘pseudo’ YOU forget YOUR own ‘GOSPEL’, hypocrisy blooms…and rot follows (I hope not) Yet…standing in the aftermath (messy and deserved) I can admit, it had its moments.."
These posts underscore a long-simmering professional grievance and have framed the public conversation around the 'Toxic' teaser not just as a critique of content, but of ethical consistency in the film industry.
While Yash's legion of fans have celebrated the teaser's style and the actor's powerful screen presence, the broader discussion now hinges on a critical question: Are the rules of portrayal different when the critic becomes the creator? The 'Toxic' teaser has successfully generated buzz, but it has also opened a Pandora's box of questions about artistic responsibility, gendered gaze, and the complex politics of cinema in India.
