Entertainment

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; August 9: Lady Superstar Nayanthara, who is generally not seen making frequent appearances at promotional events for her films, made an exception for her upcoming film ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups’. The actress attended the trailer launch event of the much-awaited film in Bengaluru on Saturday and showered praise on her co-stars Yash, Kiara Advani, Rukmini Vasanth, Huma Qureshi and Tara Sutaria. Nayanthara also spoke warmly about her experience of working with director Geetu Mohandas and explained why ‘Toxic’ was special enough to bring her to the promotional event.

The beginning of the event, Nayanthara explained why she is rarely seen at film promotions. She clarified that she has no objection to attending promotional programmes, but admitted that she does not feel particularly comfortable at such events. However, ‘Toxic’ holds a special place in her heart, and a phone call from Yash was enough to convince her to attend the trailer launch.

Nayanthara also spoke about her long association with director Geetu Mohandas. The two had worked together as actors in a film nearly two decades ago. However, when Nayanthara was initially approached for ‘Toxic’, she was not immediately convinced about taking up the project. The film features several important characters, and that initially made her somewhat hesitant about accepting the role.

Eventually, Nayanthara asked Geetu to personally come and narrate the story to her. After listening to the complete story from the director, her perspective changed and she decided to become part of the film.

While praising Geetu Mohandas, Nayanthara said that the director stood firmly beside every actor on the set. Whenever an artist faced a difficult situation, Geetu was there to support them, hold their hand and provide encouragement and affection. According to Nayanthara, the way Geetu cared for every member of the cast and supported them whenever they needed help left a deep impression on her.

Nayanthara was particularly enthusiastic while speaking about Yash. Affectionately referring to him as ‘Rocky Bhai’, she said that despite having worked with several stars and talented actors, she had never come across an actor as hardworking as Yash.

She also pointed out that Yash’s larger-than-life image on screen is not very different from his personality in real life. According to Nayanthara, the dedication and scale associated with Yash’s screen persona can also be seen in the way he approaches his professional commitments.

The actress specifically mentioned Yash’s four-and-a-half years of hard work on ‘Toxic’. She said that the actor had sacrificed a considerable amount of time that he could have spent with his family and children in order to dedicate himself to the film. Nayanthara was also impressed by the care and commitment Yash showed towards the director and the project throughout the filmmaking process.

Nayanthara said that she respects Yash in three different capacities — as an actor, as a producer and, above all, as a person. She highlighted his commitment to the film and said that his contribution went beyond simply performing in front of the camera.

The same time, Nayanthara was careful to acknowledge the role played by Yash’s wife Radhika in his journey. She described Radhika as Yash’s biggest source of strength and said that the support and sacrifices made by family members should never be overlooked when discussing the success of an artist.

Nayanthara, the contribution of a family often remains behind the scenes, but it plays an extremely important role in helping an artist dedicate themselves completely to their work. Her comments highlighted the importance of Radhika’s support during Yash’s long and demanding journey with ‘Toxic’.

Nayanthara also had particularly strong words of praise for Kiara Advani. In fact, her comments sounded almost like a major prediction about Kiara’s future career. Nayanthara said that ‘Toxic’ could become one of the finest and most significant films of Kiara’s career.

She suggested that audiences would see one version of Kiara before ‘Toxic’ and an entirely different version of the actress after the film. According to Nayanthara, the project could bring a major transformation to Kiara’s career and allow her to showcase a different side of her acting abilities.

Nayanthara also praised Rukmini Vasanth and revealed that she had been following her work since the beginning of her career. The actress spoke positively about Rukmini’s growth and expressed her appreciation for the work she has done so far.

Tara Sutaria also received a warm compliment from Nayanthara, who affectionately described her as a ‘cute princess’. The actress also spoke about her experience of working with Huma Qureshi and said that it had been wonderful. Nayanthara revealed that she developed a good friendship with Huma while working together on the film.

Kiara Advani, meanwhile, appeared deeply touched by Nayanthara’s praise. Speaking at the event, Kiara described ‘Toxic’ as a very important chapter in her acting career. She expressed gratitude towards director Geetu Mohandas and Yash for believing in her and giving her the opportunity to take on the role of Nadia.

Kiara said that it was because of the faith shown in her by the director and Yash that she got the opportunity to explore the character of Nadia and present herself in a new way. Her comments reflected the significance of the project for her as she prepares for the film’s release.

The trailer launch event therefore became more than just a promotional programme for ‘Toxic’. Nayanthara’s presence itself attracted considerable attention, particularly because she is known for maintaining a relatively low profile during film promotions. Her enthusiastic praise for her co-stars and director further increased curiosity surrounding the project.

The chemistry and mutual appreciation among the cast members also became a major talking point at the event. Nayanthara’s comments about Yash’s dedication, Kiara’s potential transformation and Geetu Mohandas’s supportive approach towards the cast have contributed to growing anticipation around the film.

‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups’ is now one of the most awaited upcoming releases, with the trailer launch generating further interest among audiences. The film brings together Yash, Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Rukmini Vasanth, Huma Qureshi and Tara Sutaria in important roles under the direction of Geetu Mohandas.

The film is scheduled to release in theatres on August 26. With the trailer now launched and the cast openly discussing their experiences, expectations surrounding ‘Toxic’ have increased further. Nayanthara’s unexpected appearance at the promotional event and her strong words of appreciation for Yash, Kiara and the rest of the team have added another layer of excitement ahead of the theatrical release.