The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Women's Wing has submitted a formal complaint to the Karnataka State Women's Commission, objecting to the teaser of the Kannada film Toxic, starring Yash.
In the complaint, the party alleged that the recently released teaser contains obscene and explicit visuals that adversely affect the social well-being of women and children and undermine Kannada cultural values.
The AAP Women's Wing urged the Commission to direct the state government to immediately withdraw or cancel the teaser of Toxic, which is directed by Geetu Mohandas. Party leaders said the move was necessary to safeguard social morality and protect vulnerable sections of society, adding that visual content on public platforms must adhere to cultural sensitivity and responsibility.
They further stated that the teaser was released publicly without any age restriction or precautionary warning, which they claimed compromises the dignity of women and has a negative impact on minors.
Speaking after submitting the representation, AAP State Secretary Usha Mohan called upon the Women's Commission to intervene immediately and direct the State Government and the police to withdraw the teaser and remove it from social media platforms. She also urged the authorities to frame stricter laws to prevent the public circulation of such content in the future.
Following the complaint, the Karnataka State Women's Commission has now written to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), seeking appropriate action in the matter.
The communication follows the representation submitted on January 12 by Usha Mohan, in which she reiterated that the teaser contains obscene and explicit visuals that adversely impact the social well-being of women and children, and that its public release without age restrictions or warnings insults Kannada cultural values and undermines the dignity of women.
Taking note of the representation, the Women's Commission has requested the CBFC to examine the teaser as per rules, take suitable action, and submit a report detailing the steps taken.
Toxic Teaser
The teaser of Toxic was released on Yash's 40th birthday on January 8. One of the most talked-about moments in the teaser was the brief scene involving a woman inside a car alongside Yash.
The scene is shot in a stylised, dark setting and relies heavily on visual suggestion rather than dialogue. The woman is shown in an intimate frame inside the car that has now become a bone of contention.
Last week, a section of social media users also targeted the director on claims of over "objectification of women" in the teaser.
Geetu Mohandas replied to trolls through a cryptic note on her Instagram Stories. "Chilling while people figure out female pleasure, consent, women playing systems, etc, etc." she wrote.
But she found a supporter in director Ram Gopal Varma who was blown away by the Toxic teaser.
"After seeing the @TheNameIsYash starring trailer of #Toxic I have no doubt that @GeethuMohandas_ is the ultimate symbol of Women Empowerment ..No Male director is Man enough in comparison to this Woman .. I still can't believe she shot this," he wrote on X.
Toxic also stars Nayanthara, Rukmini Vasanth, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, and Tara Sutaria. One of the highly-anticipated movies of 2026, Toxic is set to clash at the box office with Dhurandhar Part 2 on March 19.
Also Read | Toxic Teaser-Trailer: Yash As Raya Unleashes Havoc (Beyond Your Imagination)