Yash's Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups has been at the centre of several controversies ever since its first glimpse was unveiled earlier this year, with many social media users criticising it for its alleged objectification of women and sexist undertones, depiction of sex, and use of profanity. The latest teaser, titled Ladies & Ladies, which spotlights the women of the film, has only added to the ongoing debate, drawing fresh criticism and receiving a mixed response from audiences online.
Now, actor Benedict Garrett has responded to the issue via his Instagram handle when answering questions from fans. Reacting to a user who asked why people were criticising the teaser, Garrett said, "I have no idea. I can only assume people have more problems seeing sexually related content than they do seeing violence, which, in my opinion, is totally f****d. Give me a world with sex over violence any day."
The recent teaser shows glimpses of Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth, and Huma Qureshi. Although very little details on their roles can be seen in the video, it has raised anticipation for the star-studded cast. While the makers or the leading actors have not publicly responded to the criticisms, Garrett's views have added another layer to controversy.
Directed by Geetu Mohandas, Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups is slated for worldwide theatrical release on August 26, 2026. Toxic has undergone several release date changes over the past few months. It was initially planned for a March 19 release before being shifted to June 4 to avoid a box-office clash with Dhurandhar: The Revenge. The makers later cited the escalating conflict in the Middle East as the reason for another postponement. A subsequent delay was announced to facilitate a wider global distribution for the film.
Produced by KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations, the film has been shot simultaneously in Kannada and English and will also be dubbed in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam.