Toxic far ahead of time: Actor Sumalatha's message to Yash amid 'negative talk'

Actor and former Lok Sabha MP Sumalatha has come out in support of Yash following the negative response to his latest film, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups. In a heartfelt Instagram post, Sumalatha praised the actor’s performance and urged him to take the negative talk surrounding the film “with a pinch of salt”.Sumalatha addressed the criticism surrounding Toxic, and called him one of the sanest people. She said, "You are also one of the smartest and sanest people I have ever come across, and I am sure you are taking all the surrounding negative talk with a pinch of salt. "She wondered whether Toxic was simply “far ahead of its time” or whether certain portions of the film had been “misunderstood or unfairly judged”. "Perhaps Toxic is simply far ahead of its time. Or perhaps parts of it have been misunderstood or unfairly judged by those who are uncomfortable with what you have become...or might become yet,” her post read.Addressing him as “my dear Yash”, Sumalatha said she was particularly impressed by his performance in Toxic and how much he has evolved as an actor. “I always knew you were fearless, and that you would choose to tread your own path rather than follow anyone else’s. But in this movie, what stood out for me above everything was you. Your performance was outstanding — truly mind-blowing,” she wrote.Calling Toxic a “vibrant visual spectacle”, Sumalatha said the film was a significant milestone for both Yash and director Geetu Mohandas. However, she said it was Yash’s performance that made her feel most proud.“I cannot tell you how proud I felt watching you outshine yourself in every frame. You have evolved and grown so much as an actor, and watching that journey fills my heart with immense pride,” she added.Sumalatha also suggested that Yash’s success could attract jealousy, but expressed confidence that the actor would not be affected by it. “Success like yours will attract all kinds of jealousy too. But I know you are not one to care for that,” she wrote.‘You will emerge bigger and stronger’Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas, released in theatres on August 26. The film, which stars Yash in the lead role alongside Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth, has received a mixed response from critics and audiences.Despite the criticism, Sumalatha said she had no doubt that Yash would bounce back stronger. “Whatever it is, I have absolutely no doubt that you will overcome all of it and emerge bigger and stronger. You will hit the ball right out of the ground again — I have no doubts about that,” she wrote.She ended her note by congratulating Yash for the effort and conviction he had put into the film. “For now, take a bow. Kudos to you for the sheer effort, conviction and hard work that have gone into this. Don’t stop now or ever. Keep rocking,” she wrote.Sumalatha signed off by telling Yash that she would continue to watch his journey with “love and immense pride”, adding, “Sending you lots of hugs.”Toxic opened big with Rs 140 crore gross globally, however, it has been witnessing a gradual decline in the next few days. With negative word of mouth, the film's weekend collection did not match up to its opening numbers, indicating a missed opportunity.- EndsPublished On: Aug 31, 2026 16:22 IST