Yash's ‘Toxic’ promo faces backlash over female character portrayal; Netizens call it 'objectifying'

The makers of ‘Toxic’ released a new promo titled ‘Ladies & Ladies’ on July 1. The video puts the spotlight on the film's female characters, including Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth and Huma Qureshi, along with Yash.Soon after the promo was released, it started a debate on social media. While some fans enjoyed the video, many others said they were disappointed with the way the female characters were shown.

Many users share their reactions

Several users on X (formerly Twitter) criticised the promo and shared their opinions. Criticizing the narration in the film, a user wrote, “Idk what they are trying to create but the teaser is not impressive as it was foretold.”

One user wrote, "rocking star yash avoided clash wt dhurandhar2, only to come up wt THIS? r u giving a ladies dedicated teaser or plain objectifying them.. and worst, giving them silliest dialogues to show gals dyin to dkride yash? Is it too much to ask for another main vaapas aaunga lol? #Toxic.

”Another user added, “The NUDITY Or SEXUAL themes aren't the Issue . It's the Execution by DIRECTOR ..... Its a razor- thin line between RAW-SENSUALITY and cheap sleaze — and from everything i've seen so far , #Toxic seems to mistake one for the other.

SEDUCTION demands Sophistication ; SHOCK Value alone just feels awkward.”Check out the trailer

More criticism follows

One user wrote, “Ladies & Ladies teaser feels more like unnesessary negativity uncomfortable than entertainment. The vibe is forced, the conflict looks exaggerated, and the BGM feels avg, teaser fails to create excitement. Hoping the movie has something better to offer. #ToxicTheMovie.”

About ‘Toxic’

Directed by Geetu Mohandas, the film has been shot in Kannada and English at the same time. It will also be released in dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam. It is announced to release on August 26, 2026.