The teaser of Yash starrer ‘Toxic’ was launched earlier this month to coincide with the Rocking Star’s birthday. The intimate scenes from the glimpse made headlines and sparked heated debates throughout the country. Actor Bhavana Menon has recently weighed in on the debate.
Bhavana says she sees ‘Toxic’ teaser as cinema
Bhavana Menon, who is currently on a promotional spree for her upcoming film ‘Anomie’, was recently asked about the bold scenes in the ‘Toxic’ teaser. Talking to Manorama Online, she expressed that she sees it all as cinema. “I see all this as a cinema. We are all watching Hollywood films. That’s not the kind of mindset people have now. We have a very open-(minded) audience, especially in Malayalam. Earlier, a lip-kiss scene (would have shocked audiences). Now people have changed from all that,” Bhavana Menon said. Bhavana also added that the audience will embrace the film if it is good; otherwise, they won’t. She also clarified that she does not know what the movie is about, nor had a discussion about it with her friend Geetu Mohandas, the director of ‘Toxic’. While the ‘Anomie’ actor expressed that there is nothing wrong with having opinions, she also added that the teaser has been discussed so much due to another incident from the past. For the unversed, Bhavana refers to a previous incident where Geetu Mohandas urged Parvathy Thiruvothu to name the Mammootty movie ‘Kasaba’ for the misogynistic dialogues.
Why was the ‘Toxic’ teaser criticised?
Directed by Geetu Mohandas, ‘Toxic’ is slated for a March release. On Yash’s 40th birthday, the makers dropped the teaser. In the teaser, Raya (played by Yash) is seen engaged in a sexual act. A section of the audience criticized Geetu Mohandas for the objectification of women. Many called her out for her ‘double standards’. A complaint was filed by the AAP women’s wing, noting the teaser was unsuitable for public viewing without an age restriction. They pointed out that such hypersexualised scenes can cause “serious harm to the social well-being of women and children” and they “degrade the dignity of women and insult Kannada culture.” Social activist Dinesh Kallahalli filed a second complaint, citing that the teaser violated public decency and morality and exposed minors and young viewers to legally impermissible content.
About the Author
