BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Women’s Commission (KSWC) on Monday wrote to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), seeking ‘appropriate action’ after the AAP lodged a complaint over alleged obscene scenes in the teaser of the film Toxic, starring actor Yash.Earlier, leaders of the women’s wing of the AAP’s state unit met officials of the commission and submitted a complaint, urging action against the teaser.“It is hereby requested to take further action on the subject mentioned in the petition after verifying it as per rules and to submit an action-taken report in this regard,” the commission’s secretary said in a letter to the CBFC, citing a petition submitted by AAP state secretary Usha Mohan.In her petition, Mohan alleged that the ‘obscene and explicit content’ in the teaser was causing serious harm to the social well-being of women and children. She claimed the scenes were released in the public domain without any age-related warning and ‘degrade the dignity of women while insulting Kannada culture’.Citing the alleged adverse impact on society, particularly minors, the party urged the commission to intervene immediately and direct state authorities to ban the teaser and remove it from social media platforms.“On behalf of the women’s wing of the Aam Aadmi Party, we urge the commission to treat the matter seriously and take immediate action to uphold the cultural and moral values of the state,” the petition said.Social activist Dinesh Kallahalli has also filed a formal complaint with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), objecting to the ‘obscene, sexually explicit, and morally offensive scenes’ in the teaser.In a complaint addressed to CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi, social activist Dinesh Kallahalli claimed that the teaser of ‘Toxic’ contains ‘scenes that are grossly obscene, sexually explicit, and vulgar in nature.“The said trailer is being widely circulated on various social media platforms without any effective restriction, thereby exposing the general public, including minors and young persons, to content that is legally impermissible and socially harmful,” he said.Claiming that the teaser violates constitutional rights under the freedom of speech and expression, the complaint added, “The content displayed in the trailer of ‘TOXIC’ clearly exceeds these constitutional limits and therefore does not merit any constitutional protection. The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has consistently held that obscenity and sexually explicit material are not protected forms of expression.“He also referred to the provisions under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, the Certification of Films Rules, and the guidelines issued by the Central Board of Film Certification, adding that films, trailers, and other promotional materials are required to conform to the “standards of decency, morality, and social responsibility.”The makers of Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups unveiled the first look of Yash on January 8, introducing him as ‘Raya’ through a brief teaser released on the actor’s 40th birthday.Directed by Geetu Mohandas, the film marks Yash’s first project since the blockbuster KGF: Chapter 2 in 2022. Toxic has been shot simultaneously in Kannada and English, with dubbed versions planned in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and other languages.The teaser triggered mixed reactions on social media, with a section of users objecting to the visuals, accusing the film of ‘objectifying women’ and questioning the director in light of her earlier criticism of such portrayals. Another section, however, strongly defended the teaser and the film’s team.Produced by KVN Productions, Toxic is slated for release on March 19 and also stars Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Kiara Advani and Rukmini Vasanth in pivotal roles.(With agency inputs)
