Rishab Shetty praises Yash for 'daring experiment' as Toxic faces criticism

Actor-director Rishab Shetty has come out in support of Yash and Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups as the film faces mixed reactions after its August 26 release. The Kantara actor praised Yash’s performance, called the film a "daring experiment," and said that a story taking an unusual route does not necessarily mean it has taken the wrong one.

In a post on X, Rishab backed the effort behind Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups and said he was impressed by the conviction with which Yash’s character had been brought to life. He also praised Yash for fully giving himself to a character and a world that required a larger-than-life performance, while expressing appreciation for his efforts to take Kannada cinema to a wider audience.

Sharing his thoughts on the film, Rishab wrote, “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 (sic)."

"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 (sic)," he added.

Rishab described the film as a "daring experiment" and made it clear that he stands with Yash. He also thanked the actor for trying to take Kannada cinema beyond its traditional audience. “We love you for the love you have for taking Kannada cinema to the global stage,” the 43-year-old wrote.

Rishab also extended his best wishes to the film’s producers and director Geetu Mohandas. His remarks came as Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups continued to draw mixed reactions following its release on August 26.

India Today, in its review for the film, wrote, "The film was also pitched as a gangster drama with a female perspective, promising female characters who would stand on equal footing with the protagonist rather than merely orbit around him. But that promise remains largely unfulfilled. Raya continues to dominate the narrative, while the women around him, despite being played by some of the industry's strongest actors, rarely get the space or agency their characters seem to demand."

Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups also features actors Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria in key roles.