‘Toxic’ Teaser Sparks Fresh Row Before Release

Christian body files complaint, seeks removal of cemetery scene

February 12, 2026: Yash’s upcoming film Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups has run into fresh controversy ahead of its Eid release on March 19, with a Christian organisation alleging that the teaser hurts religious sentiments. The National Christian Federation (NCF) has filed a complaint with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the Film Chamber of Commerce, and the state’s Chief Secretary and Home Secretary. The group objected to scenes featuring Archangel Michael, calling them “inappropriate” and “insulting,” particularly a sequence showing an intimate scene inside a car parked outside a cemetery, followed by a violent shootout amid visible religious symbols.

The organisation has demanded that the makers remove the objectionable portions and take down the promotional content from online platforms. Earlier, the teaser had also drawn criticism from the Women’s Commission over the depiction of a sex scene, with a separate complaint alleging that it outraged the modesty of women. The backlash reportedly intensified to the extent that Beatriz Taufenbach, who appeared in the teaser, deleted her Instagram account.

Directed by Geethu Mohandas and co-written by Yash, the film features an ensemble cast including Rukmini Vasanth, Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria, Huma Qureshi, Akshay Oberoi and Sudev Nair. Toxic is expected to clash with Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2 at the box office. Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Supreme Court recently directed the makers of Manoj Bajpayee’s Ghooskhor Pandat to change its title, observing that it was “chosen for publicity” and could “denigrate a section of society.”