Toxic Courts Religious Controversy As Release Date Nears, Yash Starrer Accused Of 'Hurting Religious Sentiments' Of Christians

Yash starrer Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is set for its grand release on March 19. This movie marks the Kannada star's much-awaited return to the big screens after KGF: Chapter 2 (2022). While Toxic was supposed to be a solo release, its continued delay has forced it to clash with Ranveer Singh's much hyped Dhurandhar: The Revenge on Eid. Fireworks are expected at the box office and nothing less is on the cards.

Toxic has a good buzz surrounding it. Its teaser, sexually charged in nature, has already got fans talking. The overseas and Telugu theatrical rights have been sold at record prices, setting the tone for its grand release. When all was going well for the movie as it enters the crucial, pre-release stage, Toxic has found itself at the center of a developing controversy.

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As per reports, the National Christian Federation has lodged a formal complaint against the upcoming Kannada film, alleging that certain scenes in the Yash starrer are "offensive" to Christians and "disrespectful to their religious beliefs". In its complaint, the NCF has claimed that Toxic contains scenes that hurt religious sentiments and portray Christianity in a derogatory manner. The organisation has specifically objected to scenes involving Saint Michael the Archangel, alleging that the depiction is inappropriate and amounts to an insult to a revered religious figure. It has been alleged that religious symbols and the manner in which the sacred space of cemetery was used for action-heavy and stylised sequences hurt the sentiments of the community.

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The federation has further alleged that objectionable and obscene visuals have been shown in the presence of angels, which it says is unacceptable and deeply offensive to the Christian community. The NCF has demanded the immediate removal of the disputed scenes, including related content posted on YouTube. It has further called for corrective action by the filmmakers. A complaint in the matter has been submitted to the Film Chamber of Commerce, as well as to the state government's Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

While the production house, KVN Productions, has not yet issued an official statement, it is expected that Toxic team is taking the feedback seriously to avoid any further legal hurdles. Interestingly, certain scenes shot inside a church in Sunny Deol and Randeep Hooda's Jaat had hurt the sentiments of the Christian community and were deleted from the movie while it ran in cinema halls.