Toxic Director Geetu Mohandas' Decade Old Views On Kasaba's Misogynistic Lines Resurfaces? Nithin Renji Throws Shade With Cryptic Post

On January 8, coinciding with Yash’s birthday, the makers of Toxic unveiled a special teaser for the upcoming film directed byGeetu Mohandas. Within a few hours of its release, the teaser sparked widespread

discussion online, particularly over an intimate scene that many viewers felt objectified a woman. The NSFW visuals quickly went viral, triggering a wave of criticism on social media. What surprised many was that the teaser came from a woman filmmaker who has previously spoken strongly against the objectification of women in cinema. Among those who criticised the director’s vision was Nithin Renji Panicker, best known for helming Mammootty’s Kasaba. In a recent Instagram post, Nithin shared an excerpt from author Zacharia, which many social media users interpreted as an indirect criticism of Geetu Mohandas. The post quickly gained traction online, especially for drawing attention to what was perceived as a double standard.

Toxic Director Geetu Mohandas’ Decade-Old Comments on Kasaba Resurface; Nithin Renji Shares Cryptic Note

Taking to Instagram, Nithin Renji Panicker wrote “When the ‘pseudo’ YOU forget YOUR own ‘GOSPEL,’ hypocrisy blooms… and rot follows (I hope not). Yet… standing in the aftermath (messy and deserved), I can admit it had its moments.” — Zacharia. Several netizens believe Nithin’s remarks were directed at the ongoing debate surrounding Toxic’s teaser, which has drawn flak for its portrayal of aggressive masculinity, along with smoking- and drinking-heavy visuals. The comments come nearly a decade after actor Parvathy Thiruvothu openly criticised misogyny in Kasaba, the Mammootty-starrer directed by Nithin Renji Panicker.

What Did Geetu Mohandas Say About Kasaba?

At the time of the controversy, Geetu Mohandas was among those who encouraged Parvathy to explicitly name the film, repeatedly prompting her with, “Say it, say it.” The episode triggered widespread backlash and criticism directed at both the director and the film. Upon its release, Kasaba was widely criticised for glorifying misogyny, particularly through certain dialogues delivered by Mammootty’s character. One line—in which the protagonist mocks a woman by referring to her body and sexuality—became the focal point of the outrage.

Nithin Renji Panicker had also previously commented on Toxic’s first promotional material, suggesting that the same filmmaker who once condemned Kasaba for misogyny appeared to have 'changed' those standards while making a film in another language.Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups features Yash, Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, and Rukmini Vasanth in lead roles. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on March 19.