Toxic: A Fairytale For Grownups has had a long and rather eventful road to the big screen. The film was delayed more than once and has also faced its share of controversies.
Now, with the film finally set to release on August 26, here’s a look at everything Toxic has been through along the way.
Teaser Backlash
On Yash’s 40th birthday on January 8, the makers released the teaser of Toxic. One particular scene, which showed Yash’s character in an intimate situation with a woman inside a car near a cemetery drew criticism on social media.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Women’s Wing also submitted a formal complaint to the Karnataka State Women’s Commission over the visuals.
In its complaint, the party described the teaser as “obscene” and “explicit”. It alleged that the visuals could hurt the social well-being of women and children and undermine Kannada cultural values. The AAP Women’s Wing urged the Commission to direct the Karnataka government to withdraw or cancel the teaser.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) later clarified that the teaser was released exclusively on YouTube and therefore did not come under its jurisdiction. According to CBFC officials, certification is mandatory for films and trailers intended for theatrical exhibition, while online promotional content released on digital platforms remains outside the body’s purview.
Yash later spoke about what he described as the film’s female gaze during an interaction with American content creator and host Sabeen Faheem at CinemaCon.
He said, “That’s the most exciting part. So what happens is that when you generally say action films, it’s only restricted to male directors. That’s been historically true in India. A lot of people have done that. A large-scale action film, that too a gangster film with a female gaze, is something which is very new and refreshing.”
Religious Sentiment Row
In February 2026, the National Christian Federation wrote to the government and film authorities, asking them to intervene before Toxic reached cinemas.
The organisation claimed that some scenes in the film used religious imagery in a way that hurt Christian sentiments. According to the federation, certain visuals allegedly showed Saint Michael in an “offensive” manner.
Pradeep Kumar, President of the federation, urged the authorities to look into the matter and ensure that the disputed scenes were removed before the film’s theatrical release.
The producers and Yash did not issue formal apologies or direct statements addressing the concerns raised over the religious imagery.
Environmental Controversy
Toxic also ran into trouble over its filming locations. In 2024, a case was registered against the film’s producer and two others over alleged illegal tree cutting during the shoot in a forested area in Bengaluru.
The film’s producer maintained that the shoot took place on private land and that all necessary permissions had been obtained.
Release Date Issue
Yash’s Toxic was initially scheduled to release alongside Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge on March 19, 2026. However, the film was later postponed to June 4.
However, the release date was postponed again.
Reacting to the delay, Yash told Variety, “That is really something my fans or people in India will not like. They’ll be upset because culturally once you start shooting the film, there is a timeline in their head.”
Talking about the challenges surrounding his ambitious project, Yash said, “Unfortunately, marketing happens even if you don’t want it to. The moment we start shooting, people start writing about it,” He added, “Those are the things which are a challenge, but I think I have faith in my people, so they understand what we are trying to do is something we all should do.”
In his recent appearance on Aap Ki Adalat, Yash also opened up about Toxic and its proposed clash with Dhurandhar 2 in March. Talking about the film being delayed, he said, “When my movie was supposed to release on March 19 (and postponed), I know a lot of people said about me ki main bhi darr gaya (I got scared). Zindagi me khone ka kuch hai hi nahi to darr hai hi nahi (I have nothing to lose in life, so I have no fear).”
Finally, the makers announced August 26 as the new release date.
Tabaahi Song Backlash
The romantic song Tabaahi, featuring Yash and Kiara Advani, was released on July 8. The music video soon became a talking point online because of the intimate scenes between the two actors.
Several social media users questioned Kiara’s decision to appear in such scenes, pointing to the fact that she is married and a new mother. Yash, who is also married and a father, did not face the same level of criticism despite being part of the same sequences.
Speaking on Yuvaa’s Be A Man, Yaar!, Huma Qureshi addressed the different reactions to the two actors. She said, “It’s sick. It’s disgusting, absolutely. But I think women in this film, the actresses and the directors, will have the last laugh. There’s no point in trying to defend something at all because you can’t change people’s mindset with words. I would just let the film do the talking.”
Yash also responded to the trolling during his appearance on Aap Ki Adalat. When asked about people comparing the song’s video to a “condom advertisement”, the actor joked, “Agar condom ad karna hai, toh paise leke karunga. Aise muft mein nahi karunga. [If I have to do a condom ad, I will do it for money. I won’t do it for free.]”
British actor Benedict Garrett, who is also part of Toxic, called out what he saw as a clear double standard in the reaction to Yash and Kiara.
In a video shared on Instagram, Benedict said, “I’ve seen people praising Yash, filling his comments with fire emojis and saying how amazing he looks. But when it comes to Kiara Advani, she’s become the butt of jokes. People are saying things like, oh, she only just got married, she’s a mother, she’s on a honeymoon instead of Sidharth Malhotra. Seriously?”
Yash’s ‘Nude’ Scene Goes Viral
Yash’s bare-body appearance in the Toxic trailer also became a subject of discussion online. Some social media users even compared it to Ranbir Kapoor’s appearance in Animal.
Yash done PhD in copying and Inspiring Ranbir 🔥#ToxicTrailer #RanbirKapoor pic.twitter.com/qFbZwGsiii
— ʙᴀɴɢʙᴀɴɢ😎🔥 (@RoonaVikranth) August 8, 2026
Kannada actor Risheekaa Ssingh criticised the film’s portrayal of women and questioned Yash’s intimate scenes.
In a video shared on Instagram, she said, “Beauty is what truly suits a woman, but respect is what truly suits a man, my boy. Why did you have to drop your pants like that you absolute monkey? You have a wife waiting at home so what’s the need for flirting with actresses? We certainly don’t support this new business of yours at all. You have women in your own life, yet you come here acting tough and talking big. Show women some proper respect or we will surely kick you out of Karnataka.”
She ended the video by saying, “I am Toxic.”
Yash, however, defended the film’s treatment of its intimate scenes and said nothing in Toxic was vulgar. Speaking on Aap Ki Adalat, he said, “Vulgarity is wrong. Maine toh kiss bhi nahi kiya hain, agar aapne dekha hoga toh (Vulgarity is wrong. I haven’t even kissed, as you may have noticed). There is a certain line, and we understand that. You have to shoot things aesthetically, and what may seem visually appealing later is the impact of cinema. That is a creator’s voice.”
‘There’s A Voice For Women In This Film,’ Says Yash
The criticism around Toxic’s portrayal of women has also been addressed by Yash ahead of the release.
At the film’s recent pre-release event, the actor asked audiences not to judge the movie solely on its promotional material. Addressing the women and girls in the crowd, Yash said, “Society… they may say, they may not accept it but the point is everybody will look upon you. I 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 urged women to watch the film before forming an opinion about their roles.
He added, “There’s a voice for women in this film, unlike how it is coming across in the trailer. Watch the movie and enjoy. All you girls, you will have a blast.”
His comments came amid the ongoing discussion around the film’s portrayal of female characters.
Fans Injured At Pre-Release Event
Toxic’s pre-release event also saw an unfortunate incident in which four people, including a student, were injured after a sound box system collapsed.
According to PTI, the incident took place at Malla Reddy University in Medchal on Saturday night.
According to the police, a group of young attendees had climbed onto the stand supporting the sound box system when it suddenly collapsed. Four people fell and were injured. They were taken to hospital for treatment.
A case was also registered against the university management and the event manager in connection with the incident.
Yash briefly stopped his speech after noticing what had happened and checked on the audience. “Is it okay there? Please check…be careful. Are you safe?” Yash asked.
Directed by Geetu Mohandas, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is produced by Venkat K Narayana and Yash under KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations. Written and shot in Kannada and English, the film will have dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam.
The movie also features Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth.
ALSO READ: Toxic Advance Booking Report: Yash Film Records Rs 24.27 Crore Gross Before Release
