For Shivanna, watching a Yash film was never going to be a routine celebrity screening. The actor booked his own ticket for Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas, and sat among the audience to watch the film, an experience he says gives him a different perspective than watching a film as an actor or at a special screening.

After the show, Shivanna was generous in his praise for the film’s scale and making, while singling out the second half and its final 20 minutes.

“Toxic is an excellent attempt. There is a grandeur and richness throughout the making. The suspense in the second half and the last 20 minutes have been presented very well,” he said.

He also had words of praise for Yash, whom he described in distinctly personal terms.

“Yash is our boy. I came because it is our boy’s film. If Yash achieves something, I feel as proud as I would if my own younger brother had achieved it,” Shivanna said.

For him, that support has little to do with Yash’s status as a star. It is about watching someone from the same industry take risks and move forward.

“I am not supporting Yash just because he has become famous. We will always support every new attempt he makes,” he said.

Shivanna also explained why he prefers the experience of watching a film in a theatre with other moviegoers rather than waiting for its OTT release.

The film, produced by KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations, bringing together an ensemble cast, opened strongly at the box office. It has so far collected around ₹239.30 crore net in India and approximately ₹328.45 crore worldwide by the end of Day 9, according to trade figures reported on September 4.

“I don’t wait for a film to come on OTT. I book my own ticket, eat popcorn and watch it as an audience member. There is a different kind of joy in that. When you watch a film as an ordinary viewer and not as an actor, you understand its emotions differently,” he said.

The actor’s comments come at a time when theatrical viewing, piracy and the changing habits of audiences remain subjects of debate within the film industry. Shivanna urged audiences to experience films like Toxic in theatres, arguing that piracy continues to be a problem without an easy answer.

His larger point, however, was about supporting Kannada cinema without turning it into a competition between stars.

Shivanna dismissed criticism that he attends too many industry events and said his priority remains the people and the industry he belongs to.

“Some people troll me saying Shivanna comes to every event. I don’t worry about that. Our industry and our people are important to me. The respect Yash has shown us deserves the same respect in return. That is basic humanity,” he said.

And when it comes to the future of Kannada cinema, Shivanna believes the conversation cannot stop with established stars. He also urged audiences to seek out films from newcomers, pointing to A Date as a recent film whose poster caught his attention.

“Only when audiences support new films with an open mind will new directors, actors and technicians emerge,” he said.

For Shivanna, then, the success of Kannada cinema is bigger than any individual star.

“It doesn’t matter who makes the industry grow. What matters is that the industry grows.”