Annamalai slams Yash's Toxic, says film shows women in bad light

Former BJP leader K Annamalai has come out in criticism of Yash-starrer Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups questioning its portrayal of women and the impact it would have on young minds. Annamalai also criticised the film certification board for allowing the release of the movie."Yesterday I heard about a film. It made Rs 104 cr on [its] first day. We speak toxic things, but they have named the film itself 'Toxic.' This film portrays women in a bad light, and it makes money," the Tamil Nadu-based political leader said.He expressed concern about the impact the movie may have on young minds. "If we make students watch this, what will happen to our country? We go to cities and talk about women's safety but CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) gives a certificate for a film like this and it gets released. This film doesn’t respect women," the ex-BJP Tamil Nadu president said as he addressed a gathering in Coimbatore.This comes as Toxic continues to face widespread attention over its controversial depiction of women, use of strong language, and scenes showing graphic violence. TOXIC EARNS RS 108 CRORE NET ON DAY 1Directed by Geetu Mohandas, the Kannada action drama opened to a strong response at the box office, collecting Rs 108 crore net in India on its first day across all languages except English, according to the makers.The film, which was reportedly produced on a budget of more than Rs 500 crore, was released in theatres across the country on Wednesday with dubs in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and various other languages. In a statement, Toxic's makers said the film logged a significant opening in the Hindi market, where it collected Rs 55.4 crore net, surpassing the Rs 53.95 crore opening day collection of Yash's KGF: Chapter 2.Toxic features Yash in the dual roles of Raya and Ticket and presents him in a new avatar. The actor's screen presence, action sequences and larger-than-life portrayal have emerged among the highlights of the film, according to the makers.However, it saw a sharp drop at the box office on its second day, with the movie struggling to stay in step with the kind of Day 2 surge seen by major pan-India titles such as Dhurandhar 2.Toxic features an ensemble cast including Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth and Huma Qureshi.- Ends(With inputs from PTI)Published On: Aug 28, 2026 13:59 IST