As the controversy surrounding allegedly obscene and explicit scenes in Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups continues, lead actor Yash is now facing online backlash over an old interview that has resurfaced on social media.
In the interview, Yash had told television host Ramesh Aravind that he would never act in films or scenes he would feel uncomfortable watching with his parents.
“I won’t do any movie scenes that I wouldn’t feel comfortable watching with my parents,” he had said at the time.
After the clip went viral again, several netizens accused the actor of hypocrisy, linking his earlier statement to scenes shown in the Toxic teaser.
Social media users flooded platforms with mixed reactions. While some criticised Yash, others came to his defence, arguing that people and their perspectives change over time.
A few users pointed out that actors evolve with their careers and that views expressed early on may not necessarily hold years later.
Others said rejecting a film based on a single scene is unrealistic in today’s competitive film industry, and that acting should not be confused with personal beliefs.
Some fans also dismissed the criticism, stating that viewers are free to skip films they do not like.
The controversy began after the makers released the teaser of Toxic on Yash’s birthday last week. The video opens in a graveyard, with Yash’s character gatecrashing a funeral.
Before he is formally introduced as Raya, he is shown in an intimate moment with a woman inside a car, followed by high-octane action sequences.
The car scene, in particular, drew criticism from a section of the audience, who objected to what they described as explicit content.
Following the backlash, the women’s wing of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) filed a complaint with the Karnataka State Commission for Women, alleging obscenity in the teaser.
As the debate continues online, the makers of Toxic are yet to issue an official response to the criticism or the complaint.