Toxic: Kannada viewers blast Telugu people

Yash's action entertainer Toxic directed by Geetu Mohan Das which released last week got huge negative reviews right from the first show. The film might have got decent response in Kannada and Hindi, but elsewhere the situation is bad.

In the midst of all this, Kannada people are targeting Telugu viewers for the Toxic debacle. However, a distributor says “Kannada audiences have every right to express their opinion about Telugu films, just as Telugu audiences have the same right to comment on Kannada films. If Kannada fans can criticize a Telugu movie when they don't like it, there is nothing wrong with Telugu audiences expressing their disappointment over Toxic,”

He said “What is surprising is that the criticism is being projected as though Telugu audiences have some particular agenda against Kannada cinema or Yash. That is not the case. The audience paid for a ticket, watched the film and gave its opinion. The same applies to Kannada audiences when they watch Telugu films,”

He said “Cinema audiences don't operate according to language boundaries anymore. If a Telugu film is released in Karnataka, Kannada audiences will discuss it, review it and criticize it if they don't like it. Likewise, when a Kannada film releases in the Telugu states, Telugu audiences will do exactly the same. That's how the pan-India film culture works today,”

He continued "In fact, Telugu audiences have traditionally been among the most welcoming when it comes to films and stars from other industries. Several Kannada actors and filmmakers have built a strong following in the Telugu states, particularly after the success of films such as KGF, KGF: Chapter 2 and Kantara. Yash, Rishab Shetty and other Kannada stars have received considerable love from Telugu moviegoers."

---- Pramod Nandivada