The newly released teaser of Toxic, titled Ladies & Ladies, has triggered a mixed reaction online, with many fans criticising it for failing to give the female cast enough prominence despite its stated focus on them.
The teaser offers glimpses of the film’s leading actresses, including Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth, but viewers noted that actor Yash still appears to dominate much of the screen presence.
The film’s promotional strategy had already drawn attention earlier, as the initial teaser and marketing material focused heavily on Yash while largely sidelining the female ensemble. The latest teaser was expected to address those concerns by highlighting the women-led cast more prominently. However, social media reactions suggest that many viewers felt the effort fell short, arguing that the spotlight remained largely on the male lead even in a segment intended to introduce the female characters.
A section of viewers also reacted strongly to certain dialogues featured in the teaser, describing them as controversial and questioning the tone of the film. On platforms like Reddit, users expressed concerns about the film’s creative direction and whether it would face scrutiny from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). One user commented, “Toxic needs to be careful from CBFC,” reflecting apprehension about the content shown in the teaser.
Some fans went further, speculating about the filmmaking process behind Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas. Questions were raised online about whether the director had full creative control over the project, with some users suggesting that the film appeared heavily shaped by its male lead’s influence. One comment read, “I am pretty confident that Yash has shadow directed this film,” while another user criticised the film for allegedly catering to the “male gaze,” arguing that it was difficult to reconcile the teaser’s presentation with the expectation of a female-directed narrative.
Despite the backlash, the teaser has also succeeded in generating significant discussion around the film’s casting and narrative approach. The ensemble features some of the most prominent names in Indian cinema, and the film continues to be one of the most anticipated upcoming releases. However, the online debate highlights growing audience sensitivity to representation, screen space, and gender balance in big-budget productions, particularly when films market themselves as ensemble or female-inclusive projects.