Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups actor Benedict Garrett has addressed the criticism surrounding his recent comments about the film’s Ladies & Ladies teaser after his 'sex over violence' remark sparked debate online. Responding to the backlash, Garrett said he had not personally gone through the comments and feedback but assumed the criticism was linked to the teaser’s sexual innuendos and scenes involving adult themes.
'Sex Over Violence' Remark Sparks Backlash
Benedict Garrett Defends Toxic
Garrett explained that his point was not that Toxic lacked violence, but that audiences often react differently to violence and sexuality in films. He said action-heavy movies with graphic violence frequently receive less criticism, while sexual content tends to attract stronger reactions.
"What I find living here in India, but also just being a theatre-goer all around the world, is that films with a lot of violence really do not raise many eyebrows, but the moment they add any kind of sexuality or sex action into a film, then there’s a big problem," he said, sharing a video on his Instagram handle after his remark sparked criticism.
Check it out:
He added, "In India, lots of people take their kids to see films with a lot of violence. Someone asked me before this, ‘Because of the sexual content, should I take my child?’ My answer to them was, ‘Well, you take them to see Yash chainsawing someone’s head off, but not having sex with a woman? That would be crossing the line?’"
Addressing criticism that the film’s portrayal of women could be linked to themes of objectification and toxic masculinity, Garrett said the title itself may reflect the movie’s exploration of those issues.
'The Film Is Addressing Toxic Masculinity'
"Here's the irony: The film is called Toxic; maybe that’s what the film is addressing: toxic masculinity and themes around it," he added.
Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, slated for a theatrical release on August 26, starring Yash, Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, and Rukmini Vasanth.
