When Yash believed, everyone believed: Director Geetu Mohandas on KGF star's support

While the unconventional collaboration between Yash and Geetu Mohandas was a reason for many to be excited when Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups was announced, an equal amount of scepticism surrounded the film for the very same reason. At the Chennai pre-release event on Monday, August 24, Geetu opened up about her journey as a filmmaker and revealed how Yash’s belief in her became the turning point in bringing the ambitious project to life.Geetu, who has previously made films such as Liar’s Dice and Moothon, recalled how difficult it was to find people willing to invest in her vision. Speaking about the early years of her career, she said, “The small films you’ve seen (Kelkkunnundo — short film and Liar’s Dice) were made for just Rs 50 lakhs. It (Liar’s Dice) did go to the Oscars in 2014. But no one believed in me. No one wanted to give me money to produce my film.”Geetu said the lack of faith was difficult to deal with, despite the recognition her work received.“I was sad. I wished someone believed in me, I can do it. I kept trying. I made a slightly bigger film, Moothon. I thought now I have a star and I’ll make a movie, it’s got critical acclaim and now I’m gonna get commercials. But no one believed in me after that. Every time it felt like a struggle,” she said. It was at this point that Geetu decided to think bigger and challenge herself with a film on a scale she had never attempted before. Geetu Mohandas at the Toxic event in Chennai (Photo: YouTube/KVN Productions) “And then I said to myself that I am going to do the biggest film of the country, with the best actor and the greatest stardom. And I wish he would believe in me,” she said, referring to Yash. Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups marked an unlikely collaboration between Yash, one of Kannada cinema’s biggest stars, and Geetu, whose filmography has largely been defined by unconventional and critically acclaimed cinema. The pairing generated considerable curiosity when the project was announced, but it also led to questions about how the two very different cinematic sensibilities would come together.According to Geetu, Yash’s faith in her vision ultimately helped silence those doubts.“And today I can say that of all the people in the world, of my journey, from when I was a little girl till standing here, Yash believed in me and he said, ‘You know what, do it!’ And I can’t express my gratitude, because it is like an echo,” she said.Geetu went on to describe Yash’s support as the first push that encouraged others to believe in her project.“When someone claps the world will also clap if that first clap is believable. And when he believed, everyone started believing in me. It was like a chain reaction,” she added. Yash is also serving as a producer on Toxic, making his involvement with the project extend beyond his role as its leading man. The film brings together an ensemble cast that includes Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Rukmini Vasanth, Tara Sutaria and Huma Qureshi. Toxic is showing promising numbers in terms of advance sales and is set to release worldwide on Wednesday, August 26.- EndsPublished By: Sanjay Ponnappa CSPublished On: Aug 25, 2026 16:59 ISTMUST WATCH: