Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Actors Challenge Double Standards Over Kiara Advani’s Toxic Scenes
Kiara Advani acted in romantic and intimate scenes with Yash in the film Toxic.
Some people online criticized her because she is married and has a child.
They praised Yash for similar scenes instead.
Swastika Mukherjee said this is unfair and that people should watch a film before judging it.
She also said intimacy is a normal part of life and relationships.
Benedict Garrett made a similar point about the different treatment of the two actors.
He said actors play characters and do not live those characters’ lives on screen.
The debate is about whether actors should be judged by their work or by their personal lives.
Toxic is a story about a gangster’s rise and fall.
Kiara Advani faced online backlash over intimate scenes with Yash in Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups.
Trolls reportedly focused on Advani’s status as a married woman and mother rather than the film’s context.
Swastika Mukherjee said audiences should not judge performances before seeing the story and characters.
Benedict Garrett highlighted that Yash was praised for the same scenes while Advani was targeted.
Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas, follows a gangster’s rise and fall in Goa during Portuguese rule.
- Who
- Kiara Advani, Yash, Swastika Mukherjee and Benedict Garrett are central to the discussion.
- What
- Actors criticized online backlash against Kiara Advani for intimate scenes with Yash in Toxic.
- When
- Toxic released in theatres on August 26; Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra reportedly welcomed their daughter on July 15, 2025.
- Where
- The film’s story is set in Goa, while the backlash was discussed on social media.
- Why
- Swastika Mukherjee and Benedict Garrett said Advani was being judged for her marital and maternal status, while Yash was praised for similar on-screen intimacy.
Critics and online trolls
Actors defending professional performance
Kiara Advani’s intimate scenes
Critics and online trolls
Some social media users criticized Advani’s scenes because she is married and a mother.
Actors defending professional performance
Swastika Mukherjee and Benedict Garrett said her personal life should not determine which characters she can portray.
Different treatment of the actors
Critics and online trolls
The criticism focused heavily on Advani after the Tabaahi song and its intimate content.
Actors defending professional performance
Garrett said Yash was praised for similar scenes while Advani became the target of jokes and abuse.
How audiences should judge the film
Critics and online trolls
Critics formed strong opinions about the intimate material before, according to Mukherjee, understanding its context or storyline.
Actors defending professional performance
Mukherjee said audiences should see the film and consider the characters, story and presentation before judging the performances.
- Film
- Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups
- Director
- Geetu Mohandas
- Release
- Released in theatres on August 26
- Actors in intimate scenes
- Kiara Advani and Yash
- Story setting
- Goa during the period of Portuguese rule
- Plot
- A gangster’s rise and eventual fall from power
- Production
- Produced by Venkat K Narayana and Yash under KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations LLP