The recently released teaser for the highly anticipated film 'Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups' has ignited a fierce debate across Indian social media. Starring pan-India superstar Yash as gangster Raya, the preview's brief but intense moments have drawn strong reactions, particularly concerning the portrayal of violence and women.
A Teaser Scene That Divided The Internet
In one pivotal moment from the teaser, Yash's character Raya is shown inside a car with a female character while a violent confrontation unfolds outside. This short clip became the focal point of intense online discussion. Many viewers expressed discomfort, accusing the scene of objectifying women and glorifying violence in a problematic context. The debate gained additional layers due to director Geetu Mohandas's past criticism of the Malayalam film 'Kasaba' for similar themes, despite its lead character played by Mammootty having dark shades.
Director Geetu Mohandas's Cryptic Response
Facing the backlash, director Geetu Mohandas did not remain silent. She took to her Instagram Stories with a message that many described as cryptic. She wrote, "Chilling while people figure out female pleasure, consent, women playing systems, etc., etc." This statement fueled the fire further, leading to more speculation. While some interpreted it as a defense of the scene's deeper intent, others found the explanation unclear and insufficient in addressing the core concerns about objectification.
Later, in a follow-up post, Mohandas revealed the identity of the female character seen in the controversial teaser moment. She shared a picture of actress Beatriz Bach with the caption, "This beauty is my cemetery girl." This revelation seemed to hint that the character, named 'cemetery girl,' holds a more significant and nuanced role in the full narrative than the teaser snippet suggests. However, this clarification did little to quell the discontent among a section of the audience, who continued to question the scene's purpose and execution.
Social Media Erupts With Divided Opinions
The comments on social media platforms highlight a deeply divided public. One user pointed out perceived selective criticism, writing, "WCC = Selective Criticism." Another directly questioned the director's past stance, asking, "Why didn’t you criticize the movie Kasaba in the same way? Couldn’t it have been taken in the same sense at that time?"
The anger was palpable in other reactions. One comment read, "The scene is celebrating peak masculinity through objectifying women as a sex toy... I once respected WCC, but this is hypocrism." Another user strongly disagreed with the notion of consent in the scene, stating, "Calling it 'consensual' is a reach. The scene is clearly meant to establish the character. She’s merely used as a weapon! It’s not even just objectifying! It’s something more disgusting & sick!"
The discussion also touched upon a perceived double standard, with a netizen noting, "Objectifying women's bodies with choking scenes... what if it was a male director? These guys were speaking against Prithvi, that he objectified some bar dancer in an item song."
As the online debate continues to rage, all eyes are now on how the film will ultimately handle these sensitive themes when 'Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups' hits the screens. The controversy has undoubtedly raised expectations and scrutiny for its final narrative.
