Actor-director Rishab Shetty has thrown his weight behind Yash and ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups’ as the Kannada film continues to receive divided reactions following its release. Describing the film as a “daring experiment”, Rishab praised Yash’s commitment to the character and defended the creative choices behind the much-anticipated project. 

Rishab’s comments come days after fellow Kannada stars Upendra and Kichcha Sudeepa also expressed their support for the film and Yash. ‘Toxic’, which hit cinemas on August 26 after several delays, has faced criticism from sections of both critics and audiences, despite generating considerable anticipation ahead of its release.

Rishab Shetty praises Yash’s conviction

Taking to X, Rishab reflected on the challenges involved in bringing a character to life and said he was particularly impressed by the conviction with which Yash portrayed the struggles of a powerful man.

“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.”

The ‘Kantara’ star acknowledged that ‘Toxic’ does not necessarily follow the conventional path taken by mainstream films. However, he argued that an unconventional narrative should not automatically be viewed as a flaw, pointing to the enormous effort involved in transforming an idea into a feature film.

Also Read: ‘Toxic’ OTT release: When and where to watch Yash’s film online

Rishab also singled out Yash’s performance, praising the actor for completely immersing himself in a character and fictional world that demanded a larger-than-life portrayal.

“@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.”

He went on to express his admiration for Yash’s larger ambition for Kannada cinema, writing, “We love you for the love you have for taking Kannada cinema to the global stage.”

Rishab concluded his message by extending his best wishes to Toxic’s producers and director Geetu Mohandas.

‘Toxic’ battles mixed reactions

Directed by Geetu Mohandas, ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups’ was one of the most closely watched Kannada releases of the year. The film underwent multiple changes to its release schedule, initially targeting March before being moved to June and eventually arriving in theatres on August 26.

Also Read: ‘Toxic’ movie review: Yash starrer has plenty of style but very little substance

Yash plays Raya/Ticket in the film, which brings together an ensemble cast including Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth, Huma Qureshi and Akshay Oberoi.

While the film opened to strong interest, its subsequent box-office performance has reportedly seen a slowdown. It has also divided viewers, with some praising its scale and ambition while others have criticised its narrative and execution.

The film has so far collected Rs 190.45 crore in India, while its worldwide gross stands at Rs 254.75 crore.