Yash's 'Toxic' Teaser: Karnataka Women's Commission Urges CBFC To Take 'Appropriate Action' After Complaint
In a letter addressed to the state Women’s Commission, Aam Aadmi Party State Secretary Usha Mohan demanded intervention to ban the teaser and remove it from social media platforms.
The recently released teaser of Toxic featuring Yash has landed in trouble after the Aam Aadmi Party’s Women’s Wing filed a complaint with the Karnataka State Commission for Women. In their complaint, the party's representatives have alleged that the teaser features ‘obscene and explicit’ visuals that could ‘adversely impact the social well-being of women and children'.
In a letter addressed to the state Women’s Commission, AAP State Secretary Usha Mohan demanded intervention to ban the teaser and remove it from social media platforms. She also held that the teaser was released without any age-related warning, and that the visuals featured in it “degrade the dignity of women” and insult the culture of Karnataka, reports stated.
The teaser of Toxic was released on January 8 and has amassed over 85 million views on YouTube. The action-packed, highly stylised teaser introduces Yash’s character, Raya, while featuring contentious scenes of aggressive lovemaking inside a car.
In response to the complaint, the Karnataka State Commission for Women has written to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to examine the allegations and take ‘appropriate action’.
Directed by Geetu Mohandas, Toxic also features Nayanthara, Kaira Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth. While the teaser drew criticism for allegedly objectifying women, Mohandas had defended the scenes with a cryptic response on Instagram, writing, “Chilling while people figure out female pleasure, consent, women playing systems, etc etc.”
Earlier, veteran filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma had praised Mohandas' filmmaking chops after watching the Toxic teaser. He called Mohandas the 'ultimate symbol of Women Empowerment' and said that no male director could match her vision.
Toxic: A Fairy-Tale For Grownups is scheduled for release on March 19, 2026. The upcoming action thriller will be the first film of Yash since he found nationwide popularity with the blockbuster KGF franchise. Produced by Venkat K Narayana and Yash, Toxic will clash at the box-office with Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar 2, starring Ranveer Singh.