Nayanthara made a rare appearance at the Bengaluru trailer launch of Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, revealing that Yash was one of the key reasons she decided to attend.
Nayanthara is not known for regularly appearing at film promotional events, but the actor made an exception for Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups.
The actress joined Yash, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth at the film’s grand trailer launch in Bengaluru. Speaking to the audience, Nayanthara explained why she generally stays away from promotional appearances and why Toxic was different.
According to Nayanthara, the decision was particularly personal because of her relationship with Yash and her belief in the film’s creative vision.
Why Nayanthara avoids film promotions
When asked about her limited presence at promotional events, Nayanthara said her absence should not be interpreted as a lack of interest.
“It’s not that I don’t want to attend promotional events, it’s just that I’m not very good at it. So I stay away from it,” she said at the Toxic trailer launch.
The actress explained that several factors made the Bengaluru event special, but Yash’s personal request played an important role.
“But this was special [for] so many reasons, but I think it’s just Yash. He just made a call and it was enough for me to just attend the event,” Nayanthara said.
She also praised the ambition behind the project and the vision of the team working on the film.
“And also it is very special because of the kind of vision these people have,” she added.
Nayanthara praises Yash’s larger-than-life personality
Nayanthara has worked with several major stars throughout her career, and she acknowledged that experience while explaining what stood out to her about Yash.
“Everyone’s big, everyone’s cool. They are really good. That’s why they are superstars,” she said.
However, she suggested that Yash’s screen persona is closely connected to his personality away from the camera.
“When I met him the first time, the kind of larger-than-life image that he actually has, that’s how he really is in person also,” Nayanthara said.
She also expressed appreciation for the rest of the Toxic cast, including Rukmini Vasanth, Tara Sutaria, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi and Akshay.
Nayanthara plays Ganga in ‘Toxic’
In Toxic, Nayanthara plays Ganga, the sister of Yash’s character.
The trailer launch gave audiences an opportunity to see the cast together ahead of the film’s theatrical release, with Nayanthara’s presence adding another layer of interest to the event.
Her comments also highlighted the trust she developed in the project despite initially being uncertain about accepting the role.
Geetu Mohandas changed Nayanthara’s mind
Nayanthara revealed that she did not immediately agree to join Toxic.
When director Geetu Mohandas first approached her, the actress said she was unsure about taking up the project.
“When she called me for this film, I wasn’t sure, I said, ‘No, I don’t think I want to do the film,’” Nayanthara recalled.
Mohandas, however, continued the conversation and eventually convinced her to hear the complete narration.
“So she asked me some 10 million questions so I said okay, it’s fine. You can come and narrate it to me,” Nayanthara said.
The narration completely changed her perception of the project.
“And from the time she narrated it to me, I was like who is this woman? Who is this director that we have not seen? You are going to witness something incredible,” she recalled.
Her comments underline the importance of Mohandas’ storytelling approach in bringing her on board.
‘Toxic’ brings together a major ensemble
Directed by Geetu Mohandas, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups features Yash in the lead, with Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth among the principal cast.
The film has generated attention for its combination of an established Kannada superstar and a large ensemble of actors from different parts of Indian cinema.
For Nayanthara, the project also represents an opportunity to work with a director whose vision convinced her to reconsider her initial hesitation.
Nayanthara’s upcoming projects
Toxic is one of several projects currently keeping Nayanthara busy.
The actress is also associated with the Tamil films Hi and Rakkayie, while she is set to appear in an upcoming Hindi film with Salman Khan, directed by Vamshi Paidipally.
Her upcoming Tamil releases also include Mookuthi Amman 2 and Mannangatti Since 1960, along with the bilingual film Dear Students.
With Toxic now moving closer to its theatrical release, Nayanthara’s rare promotional appearance has given audiences another glimpse into why she chose to become part of the project—and why a personal call from Yash was enough to bring her to the Bengaluru launch.
