From Upendra and Kichcha Sudeepa to Rishab Shetty, Rakshita Prem, Ashika Rangnath, Sanvi Sudeep and Vijay Prakash, prominent voices from Kannada cinema have come out in praise of Rocking Star Yash and Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, applauding its scale, unconventional storytelling, Yash’s performance and the creative vision of Yash and Geetu Mohandas.
What makes these reactions particularly significant is the appreciation for Yash and Geetu Mohandas for choosing to break away from the stereotypical image of a larger-than-life hero. Following the phenomenal success of KGF: Chapter 2, Yash could have taken the familiar route, but instead chose to explore a darker, more layered character and a distinctly different cinematic world with Toxic.
At a time when Toxic has faced an unusually intense wave of negativity that did not feel entirely organic to many observers, the appreciation coming from Kannada cinema offers a striking counterpoint. Leading voices from the industry have chosen to focus on what the film attempts — its ambition, scale, performances and the creative vision of Yash and Geetu Mohandas.
Veteran Kannada star Upendra was among those to praise the film and the effort behind it. Sharing his reaction on X, he wrote:
“TOXIC IS A FAIRY TALE …. BUT GROWN-UPS ?? Watched Toxic. Wow! What a movie!
A new world and an entirely new experience! The hard work, dedication, and passion of every artist and technician are truly commendable! Hats off to Yash and the entire team! 👏”
Kichcha Sudeepa highlighted Yash’s decision to move away from the expected formula. Sharing his thoughts on X, he wrote:
“Just want to say this, @TheNameIsYash — you’ve genuinely tried something out of the box rather than taking the predictable route of making another regular, expected, formulaic follow-up to your previous commercial blockbuster. It takes a different mindset, conviction, and most importantly, the guts to attempt something like this. #Toxic is an unusual and commendable attempt. There are several portions that are genuinely intriguing and open to great debate, discussion, and learning. Kudos to you for daring to experiment and step away from the conventional.”
Kantara star Rishab Shetty also applauded Yash’s conviction, particularly the scale of his performance and the emotional complexity at the heart of the character. Taking to his socials, he said:
“As an artist, when you play a character, you try to bring it to life from the bottom of your heart. And here, I am truly impressed by the conviction with which the struggle of a powerful man has been portrayed. Maybe the plot and driving characters are not on the usual track on which most films travel, but that doesn’t mean the track is wrong. The effort that goes into telling a story, and the journey it takes from being a thought in the mind to becoming a film on screen, is humongous. @TheNameIsYash sir, hats off to the way you have surrendered yourself to a character and a world that demands a larger-than-life performance. I could clearly feel that in every single scene. It’s not easy to give the audience an experience of how guilt multiplies and increases the toxicity in life. I stand with you for attempting this daring experiment, sir. We love you for the love you have for taking Kannada cinema to the global stage.”
Rakshita Prem also expressed her pride in Yash and his evolution as an actor, writing on Instagram:
“My love for toxic @thenamesiyash u make us proud … so proud n what an actor you have crafted yourself into ,,, watch toxic because I know u will feel the same way 💗💗💗 more power to this team”
Actor Ashika Rangnath offered a particularly introspective reading of the film, reflecting on how guilt, trauma and regret become central to the protagonist’s journey. Her reaction highlighted the emotional depth of the character and the film’s exploration of the battles that exist within a powerful man.
Sanvi Sudeep, meanwhile, singled out Yash’s performance, writing on Instagram:
“Phenomenal doesn’t even begin to describe what he did in Toxic. He didn’t just act, he infected every frame with magic. A performance that lingers long after the credits. He truly showed everyone what an incredible actor he is.”
Singer Vijay Prakash also praised the film’s emotional and cinematic ambition, writing on Instagram:
“When we don’t like the sunlight we put up curtains. But the curtains only stop the sunlight from entering our homes, the sun continues to shine bright. Toxic is purely cinema, a film driven by great performances and deeply rooted human emotions, unfolding against the backdrop of a gang war story. Nothing more nothing less. Pure cinema. Yash and the entire team Hats off!”
What emerges from these reactions is a clear appreciation for Yash and Geetu Mohandas’ creative choices. Toxic sees Yash step away from the conventional image associated with a larger-than-life hero and embrace a character and world that demand something different from him as an actor.
The appreciation from Kannada cinema is also reflected in the film’s audience response beyond Karnataka. In the Hindi belt, Toxic has crossed ₹112 crore net in just four days, showing that audiences too have embraced Yash in this new avatar.
Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, starring Rocking Star Yash, Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth and Huma Qureshi, is directed by Geetu Mohandas and produced by Venkat K. Narayana under KVN Productions and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. The film is now playing in cinemas worldwide.
