Archive · 24 Aug 2026
Nayanthara Rejected Toxic Before Geetu Mohandas Changed Her Mind
Toxic is a new film directed by Geetu Mohandas and starring Yash and Nayanthara.
Nayanthara first said no because the movie had many important female actors and she did not want an ensemble role.
Geetu Mohandas kept believing in the project and explained the story to her.
After hearing the script, Nayanthara became very impressed with the director’s ideas.
She plays a gangster named Ganga, whose story is connected to Yash’s character Raya.
Nayanthara also said Yash worked extremely hard on the movie.
Some people online criticized the teaser for how it showed women.
Mohandas responded by referring to female pleasure, consent and women challenging systems.
The film is reportedly set in 1980s Goa and involves crime and deception.
Nayanthara initially declined Toxic because she did not want to join a film with a large ensemble cast.
She changed her mind after Geetu Mohandas personally narrated the script and impressed her with the film’s vision.
Nayanthara plays Ganga, a gangster connected to Yash’s character Raya.
At the trailer launch, Nayanthara praised Yash’s dedication as both actor and producer.
The film faced online criticism over the teaser’s alleged objectification of women, while Mohandas and Ram Gopal Varma defended its themes and boldness.
- Who
- Director Geetu Mohandas, actors Yash and Nayanthara, and the ensemble cast including Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth.
- What
- Nayanthara discussed initially rejecting Toxic, later accepting it after hearing the script, and praised Yash’s work on the film.
- When
- She spoke about the decision at the film’s trailer launch earlier this month; the first teaser was released in June.
- Where
- The reported story is set in 1980s Goa; the comments were made at the trailer launch.
- Why
- Nayanthara initially objected to joining a large ensemble film, but changed her mind after being impressed by Mohandas’s script and vision.
Critics of the Teaser
Defenders of the Film
Portrayal of women
Critics of the Teaser
A large section of the internet criticized the first teaser for what it considered blatant objectification of women.
Defenders of the Film
Geetu Mohandas referred to female pleasure, consent and women playing systems, while Ram Gopal Varma praised the film’s bold portrayal of sexual fantasy and called Mohandas a symbol of women’s empowerment.
Expectations for the film
Critics of the Teaser
Online criticism questioned the way the film’s content and female characters were presented in the teaser.
Defenders of the Film
Nayanthara said audiences would be surprised by Mohandas’s vision, and praised Yash for motivating the cast and crew and supporting the director.
- Film
- Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups
- Director
- Geetu Mohandas
- Lead actors
- Yash and Nayanthara
- Nayanthara’s role
- Ganga, a gangster connected to Yash’s Raya
- Reported setting
- 1980s Goa
- Production
- Produced by Venkat K. Narayana and Yash under KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations
- Languages
- Written and shot in Kannada and English, with dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam