Mumbai: Kiara Advani has opened up about her experience working on Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, recalling an emotionally demanding scene that left her physically and emotionally drained. Her comments come as the Yash-starrer continues its theatrical run amid an underwhelming box-office performance.
In a recent interview, Advani reflected on the challenges of playing Nadia and said she had given the demanding sequence her all. The actor’s remarks offer insight into the intensity of her performance in Geetu Mohandas’ film.
Kiara Advani recalls an intense Toxic scene
Advani described one particular scene from Toxic as especially challenging. The sequence required her to explore intense emotions and remain deeply immersed in her character.
The actor recalled that the experience left her drained after the shoot. Despite the exhaustion, she said she felt that she had given everything she had to the performance.
Her comments highlight the emotional preparation that went into portraying Nadia, a character whose journey takes her through a particularly dark psychological space. Advani has previously spoken about wanting to take on roles that push her beyond familiar territory.
‘I had given it my all’
Advani’s reflection centred on the emotional aftermath of filming the scene. While the experience was exhausting, she viewed the intensity as part of the process of bringing Nadia to life.
The actor has said that challenging roles are important to her because they allow her to expand the range of characters she can portray. Her experience on Toxic appears to have been an example of that approach, with the film requiring her to explore emotions and situations that were unfamiliar to her.
The demanding sequence also became memorable for Advani because members of the production team gathered around the monitor while it was being filmed. Their response added to the significance of the moment for the actor.
Geetu Mohandas pushed Advani outside her comfort zone
Directed by Geetu Mohandas, Toxic presented Advani with a role considerably different from some of her earlier mainstream performances.
The actor has praised Mohandas’ writing and direction, particularly the way Nadia’s character develops through the story. Advani has also spoken about how the filmmaker encouraged her to remain emotionally connected to the character during certain scenes.
For the actor, the project became an opportunity to experiment with a darker and more psychologically demanding performance. She has said that she does not want to put herself in a box and prefers roles that challenge audience expectations.
Yash praised Kiara’s dedication
Advani’s commitment to the role has also received appreciation from co-star Yash.
During promotions for Toxic, Yash spoke about the demanding nature of the production and acknowledged the physical and emotional pressure involved. He said he and Mohandas were concerned about Advani during some of the challenging portions of the shoot and tried to support her on set.
The comments provide additional context to Advani’s latest recollection of feeling exhausted after filming the intense sequence.
Toxic faces box-office challenges
Advani’s comments come at a time when Toxic is facing challenges at the box office. The film, which features Yash in the lead and an ensemble cast including Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth, has not delivered the theatrical numbers initially expected from the high-profile project.
However, recent figures indicate some improvement in daily collections. Reports on the film’s 18th day suggested growth despite competition from newer releases.
The film’s performance has nevertheless remained a talking point, particularly because of its large-scale production and expectations surrounding Yash’s return to the big screen after KGF: Chapter 2.
Kiara stands by her performance
While the commercial response to Toxic has generated discussion, Advani’s latest comments focus on her own experience as an actor rather than the film’s financial performance.
Her recollection of the emotionally draining scene suggests that she remains proud of the effort she put into Nadia’s character. For Advani, the experience appears to have been less about the outcome at the box office and more about taking on a role that challenged her creatively.
Toxic has therefore become another significant step in her attempt to explore varied characters and move beyond familiar roles. As the film continues its theatrical run, Advani’s performance and the challenges she faced during production remain part of the conversation around the movie.