Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Mixed Response to Toxic Rekindles Debate Over Women Filmmakers
Geetu Mohandas directed Toxic, a large action movie starring Yash.
The movie got mixed reactions in the Telugu states.
Some people criticized its story, violence and intimate scenes.
A producer said women directors may struggle with big hero-focused action films.
Other people pointed to Nandini Reddy’s successful Maa Inti Bangaram as proof that women can make popular commercial movies.
Some recent films by women directors did not perform strongly at the box office.
This has led to questions about the opportunities women receive in the film industry.
Jeevitha Rajasekhar disagreed that women are unable to direct action movies.
She said talent depends on the person, not their gender.
Geetu Mohandas’ Yash-starrer Toxic has received a mixed response in the Telugu states, with criticism of its screenplay, violence and intimate sequences.
The film’s performance has renewed debate over whether women directors receive enough opportunities to make large-scale, hero-centric action films.
Producer Nandini Reddy’s reported success with Maa Inti Bangaram is cited as evidence that women can deliver commercial entertainers.
The box-office performances of Gandhi Tatha Chettu and Telusu Kada have highlighted the commercial challenges faced by several women filmmakers.
Jeevitha Rajasekhar rejected gender-based limits, saying women can handle action and every other genre if given opportunities.
- Who
- Geetu Mohandas, Yash, other Telugu filmmakers and producers, and actor-director Jeevitha Rajasekhar are central to the debate.
- What
- The mixed response to Toxic has renewed discussion about the opportunities and commercial challenges facing women directors.
- When
- The debate followed the recent release and mixed response to Toxic, alongside recent performances by other Telugu films.
- Where
- The discussion centers on the Telugu states and the broader Tollywood film industry.
- Why
- Criticism of Toxic and the uneven box-office results of several films by women directors have intensified arguments about gender, genre and commercial opportunity.
Industry Skepticism
Gender-Neutral Defense
Ability to Direct Big Action Films
Industry Skepticism
A producer argued that women directors have struggled to handle hero-centric action films on the scale associated with S.S. Rajamouli or Prashanth Neel, citing Toxic as another example.
Gender-Neutral Defense
Jeevitha Rajasekhar said women are capable of directing action and every other genre, and that talent has nothing to do with gender.
Genre Expectations
Industry Skepticism
One producer said women filmmakers are often associated with emotions, relationships and family dramas, while action films dominate the market and can be harder for them to secure.
Gender-Neutral Defense
The opposing view is that women should not be restricted to particular genres and are increasingly working across film roles as the industry becomes more inclusive.
Commercial Acceptance
Industry Skepticism
Producer Lagadapati Sridhar said women directors have struggled to connect with Telugu audiences in recent years and need to reinvent themselves, noting that few have delivered recent commercial hits.
Gender-Neutral Defense
Supporters point to Nandini Reddy’s reported success with Maa Inti Bangaram as evidence that a woman director can deliver a commercial entertainer on par with male filmmakers.
- Film under discussion
- Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas and starring Yash
- Audience response
- Mixed in the Telugu states
- Reported success
- Maa Inti Bangaram, directed by Nandini Reddy, reportedly collected around Rs 25 crore share worldwide
- Other films mentioned
- Gandhi Tatha Chettu and Telusu Kada
- Telusu Kada cast
- Siddhu Jonnalagadda, Raashi Khanna and Srinidhi Shetty
- Industry concern
- Women filmmakers are described as having difficulty sustaining careers and securing a consistent flow of projects
- Counterargument
- Jeevitha Rajasekhar said women can handle action and every genre