Rishika Singh Criticises Yash’s Toxic Trailer, Questions Portrayal of Women

Kannada actress Rishika Singh has criticised the trailer of Yash’s upcoming film Toxic, expressing disappointment over what she described as the film’s portrayal of women. She also questioned the decision to feature Bollywood actor Kiara Advani in what she considered an inappropriate presentation.

Yash’s highly anticipated film Toxic has found itself at the centre of a fresh debate after actress Rishika Singh publicly criticised its trailer.

In a video shared on social media, Singh objected to what she described as the portrayal of women in the trailer, particularly its romantic and intimate sequences. While acknowledging the scale of the production and her hopes for Kannada cinema to reach a wider international audience, she said she was unhappy with the way the female characters appeared to have been presented.

Singh also directly addressed Yash and questioned why he chose to associate himself with a project containing scenes she felt did not show adequate respect towards women.

Rishika Singh questions Toxic trailer

In her Instagram statement, Singh said she wants Kannada cinema to grow internationally and welcomed the fact that a major Kannada film such as Toxic is being made with a prominent Bollywood actor in the cast.

However, she said the trailer left her disappointed.

“I want Kannada cinema to grow and reach an international audience. I am happy that a big film like Toxic is being made in Kannada and that a Bollywood actress is also part of it,” Singh said.

She then questioned the manner in which the women in the film were presented.

“But I did not like the way women have been portrayed in the trailer. There are five female actors in the film. Has even one of them been shown beautifully or in a complimentary manner?” she said.

Singh specifically mentioned Kiara Advani, questioning why the Bollywood actor had been brought into the project if she was ultimately going to be presented in a manner Singh considered inappropriate.

‘We will make you vacate Karnataka’

Taking her criticism further, Singh addressed Yash directly and said that audiences would not accept content that she believed disrespected women.

“If women are not respected, we will make you vacate Karnataka. I am Toxic,” she said at the end of her statement.

Her remarks have added another layer to the ongoing conversation around the film, particularly concerning its visual treatment of female characters.

Singh’s comments represent her personal criticism of the trailer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the film’s cast, filmmakers or wider Kannada film industry.

Kiara Advani explains why she joined Toxic

Kiara Advani has previously spoken positively about her character Nadia and explained what attracted her to the role.

In an interview with Femina, Advani described the character as one that offered an unusually broad emotional range. She said Nadia moves through emotions including power, vulnerability, detachment and madness.

According to Advani, the complexity of the character was one of the primary reasons she wanted to take on the role.

She explained that playing a character with so many contrasting emotional layers was an opportunity that strongly appealed to her as an actor.

The comments provide a different perspective on the character from Singh’s criticism of the trailer’s presentation.

Yash, Kiara Advani, Nayanthara and Huma Qureshi lead the cast

Toxic features an ensemble cast headed by Yash, with Kiara Advani, Nayanthara and Huma Qureshi in important roles.

The film has generated considerable attention because of Yash’s presence and its large-scale production, as well as the combination of leading actors from the Kannada and Hindi film industries.

The discussion surrounding the trailer has now shifted beyond anticipation for the film to questions about representation, visual storytelling and the treatment of female characters.

What Rishika Singh’s comments mean for Toxic

Singh’s criticism has sparked debate among moviegoers and social-media users about whether the trailer’s presentation of its female characters accurately represents the roles they play in the larger story.

At the same time, the comments should be viewed in the context of a trailer, which represents only a portion of a feature film. The complete portrayal of the characters and their narrative arcs will become clearer once the film is released.

For now, Toxic remains one of the most closely watched upcoming Kannada films, with its cast, scale and creative choices continuing to attract significant attention.