‘I am proud of Toxic, we made what we wanted to make’: Akshay Oberoi talks about starring with Yash | Interview

In Geetu Mohandas’ Kannada-English film Toxic : A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, Akshay Oberoi plays the suave gangster, Tony, who reigns in chaos with his sister, Elizabeth, played by Huma Qureshi. In an interview with Hindustan Times, the actor compares his character to a lomdi (fox), opens up about his equation with the film’s team, including co-star Yash, and gets candid about whether the chatter surrounding the film is bothering him at all.

Akshay has never had a film he has starred in open to ₹ 150 crore worldwide . He is thrilled beyond belief that, as an actor, he has now reached a wider audience. “Mujhe to badiya lag raha hai (I am feeling great),” he tells me, adding, “I love movies and acting. This was my chance to play a lomdi-like character. He even looks like it…with his long hair, high-waisted pants, and a swagger. The fact that I got to play something so interesting is exciting to me.”

In Toxic, Akshay’s Tony schemes with his sister, Elizabeth, played by Huma, to bring down Raya, played by Yash, before he becomes too powerful. What initially seems like a side character suddenly comes into focus. “Huma and I have become buddies after spending so much time together. There was a lot of trust. I know now that I can call her for anything, and I hope she does the same. We relied on each other a lot and had such fun shooting our scenes,” he says of his co-star.

Toxic was co-written by Yash and Geetu , and Akshay calls his co-star a very good writer while talking about him. “It was two different schools collaborating and putting together something bold and unique,” is how he describes the film. “Geetu is fantastic, she’s done work like Liar’s Dice and Moothon. I fell in love with her while shooting. I loved every second of it. She treated me as an equal to all these big stars and trusted me with Tony. I can’t want to be directed by her again,” he adds.

As for Yash, whom he fondly calls ‘Boss’, Akshay says working with him shifted his perspective. “Calling him Boss mere dil se aata hai (Calling him Boss comes from my heart). I see him, and I see all the things I lack. I know I’m a good actor…there’s no reason to be modest. But perhaps I lack in other things,” he says. The actor explains that Yash is involved in every department, from cinematography to editing and more, during a film shoot. “Boss is like a walking-talking industry of his own, building his own projects. He took Kannada cinema to another level and Toxic benefited from his stardom,” says Akshay.

But all said and done, Toxic opened to polarising reviews from the critics and audiences alike. It’s something the film has experienced since its first promos were released. When I ask Akshay about it, he says, “I don’t know if I’ve paid attention to any of that or how I feel about that, really. I mean, a film is meant for the audience to dissect. I’m a film fan, too. So, I understand this is what happens and that people will have varied opinions. I have a whole different relationship with the film.”

“Whether they receive it this way or that way…we made the film we wanted to make. Everybody worked so hard on it. I am immensely proud of what we were able to achieve.