Yash has opened up about the extra care he and director Geetu Mohandas took of Kiara Advani while shooting Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, revealing that her commitment to the film left him more concerned about her wellbeing than his own. Speaking at the film’s audio launch in Mumbai on Thursday night, Yash praised Kiara’s professionalism and recalled how he and Geetu effectively became her protectors on set.
Yash said he was initially concerned about the physical demands of Kiara’s role, particularly after learning what the film’s action-heavy schedule would entail. Recalling his first conversation with the actress, he said, “How do I say, I think she is such a professional actor. She came into this film; I was a little worried because it’s too demanding. The first time we spoke, she said, ‘Have you ever done a rain sequence and all?’ I said, ‘Never, but it’s going to be good and easy’. Then I saw her.”
The actor went on to describe the lengths to which the team went to ensure Kiara was comfortable and safe during the shoot, particularly while she was pregnant. “But the way she dedicated herself, and I must say, even after she was carrying, she came with 100% commitment. I was more worried; Geetu was more worried. We were like bouncers or bodyguards on set; we used to take care of her, but she has really dedicated herself. Thank you, Kiara; this one is special.”
Yash’s comments offer another glimpse into the demanding production behind Toxic, which marks his collaboration with Malayalam filmmaker Geetu Mohandas. The film brings together Yash and Kiara alongside Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth, with the makers keeping much of the story and several character details under wraps.
Kiara says Yash and Geetu helped her take a fearless leap
Kiara, meanwhile, has previously spoken about how much the experience of making Toxic pushed her as an actor. At the film’s trailer launch in Bengaluru, the actress credited both Geetu and Yash with recognising something in her that she had not yet recognised in herself.
Yash Praising Kiara Dedication 🙌 Commitment & Hard Work. ❤️🔥@advani_kiara @TheNameIsYash #KiaraAdvani #Yash #ToxicTheMovie pic.twitter.com/KpgM1re3QF
— Kiara Fans Akola ❤️ (@Kiara_Fan_Club) August 13, 2026
“I truly believe that Geetu and Yash manifested for me to be Nadia in this film,” Kiara said. “They saw it in me and believed I was capable of this much before I knew that fearless leap that I was ready to take as an actor,” she added.
While Kiara has revealed little about Nadia, her comments suggest that the role represented a significant departure from what she had previously attempted. She thanked both Yash and Geetu for trusting her with the character and said she expected the experience to remain an important milestone in her filmography.
The actress also spoke about how working on Toxic had changed her expectations from future projects. Addressing Yash and Geetu, she joked that they had “spoiled” the actors by giving them an experience they would now want to find again. Her remarks reflected the creative ambition surrounding the film, particularly the scale and intensity of the production.
For Yash, however, Kiara’s dedication appears to have been just as memorable as the finished film itself. His description of himself and Geetu acting as “bouncers or bodyguards” during the shoot underlines the unusual circumstances surrounding the production, while his praise for Kiara makes clear that her pregnancy did not diminish the commitment she brought to the role.
With Toxic now heading towards its theatrical release, the attention will inevitably turn to whether the film lives up to the considerable expectations surrounding it. For Kiara, the film represents an opportunity to demonstrate a different side of her abilities. For Yash and Geetu, it is the result of an ambitious collaboration that appears to have demanded an equally intense commitment from everyone involved.
Also Read: Yash’s Toxic Trailer Enhances Pan-India Buzz
