As Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups continues to draw mixed reactions, actor and former minister Sumalatha Ambareesh has come out strongly in support of Yash, praising his performance and suggesting that some of the criticism may stem from audiences not fully understanding the film or accepting the direction in which the actor is evolving.
Sumalatha watched the film recently and shared a detailed note addressed to Yash on social media. She said she had always known him to be someone who would choose his own path rather than follow others, but added that his performance in Toxic stood out to her above everything else.
“Your performance was outstanding, truly astonishing. I cannot express how proud I felt watching you surpass yourself in every frame,” she wrote, adding that Yash had grown considerably as an actor.
She also praised the film’s visual presentation, calling it a beautiful experience filled with colourful imagery, and described it as a significant milestone for both Yash and director Geetu Mohandas.
Addressing the negative response to the film, Sumalatha offered another perspective. “Perhaps Toxic is ahead of its time. Or perhaps some people are judging it unfairly without understanding certain aspects or accepting what you are or what you are becoming,” she wrote.
She acknowledged that success can also attract jealousy and negativity, but said she was confident Yash would move past it and emerge “bigger and stronger.”
Her post comes at a time when several Kannada film personalities, including Upendra, Sudeep, Master Anand and Rakshitha Prem, have publicly appreciated Toxic and Yash’s performance.
Sumalatha concluded by congratulating Yash for the “effort, belief and hard work” he had invested in the film and urged him to keep moving forward without being affected by the criticism.
The film is backed by KVN Productions and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, with Yash and Venkat K Narayana as producers. Directed by Geetu Mohandas, the film stars Yash, who is also credited as a writer along with Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth in key roles. The technical crew includes Rajeev Ravi as cinematographer and Ujwal Kulkarni as editor, while the music is composed by Ravi Basrur, Vishal Mishra, Tanishk Bagchi and Faheem Abdullah, among others.