Female Directors Breach Glass Ceiling With Bold Approach

Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups has taken the internet by storm, clocking over 60 million views and steadily building massive anticipation. With every new reveal, fans are delving deeper into its intriguing world. After unveiling striking first looks of Kiara Advani as Nadia, Nayanthara as Ganga, Tara Sutaria as Rebecca, and Rukmini Vasanth as Melissa on Yash’s 40th birthday, the makers recently released a teaser introducing Yash’s character, Raya.

While the teaser showcased a never-before-seen avatar of the superstar, one particular moment set social media abuzz — a steamy car sequence set in a cemetery featuring Yash alongside actress Beatriz Taufenbach. The scene instantly sparked curiosity and triggered a wide range of reactions online.

Producer Lagadapati Sridhar says the sequence, though brief, played a significant role in elevating the teaser’s impact. “It is just a small part of the teaser, but it drew enormous attention and raised the bar for the film. It has become one of the most-watched teasers in recent times and audiences have clearly lapped it up, barring some trolls,” he says.

According to him, director Geetu Mohandas’ cinematic sensibilities are evident in the way she presents the narrative. “She comes from an acting background, her husband is a cinematographer, and that reflects in the visual and emotional depth of the film,” he notes. He also points out that the female characters, portrayed by actresses such as Kiara Advani, Rukmini Vasanth and Nayanthara, have generated strong interest as they are depicted as confident and independent women.

Sridhar admits that Yash, who enjoys a massive following ihas never attempted such a steamy sequence before, making the moment even more striking. “The buzz is even bigger because the film is directed by Geetu Mohandas and not by filmmakers usually associated with bold storytelling like Ram Gopal Varma or Sandeep Reddy Vanga,” he says. He adds that he dislikes the distinction between male and female directors, stressing that cinema should be judged solely on vision and execution, not gender.

Sridhar also recalls Telugu female director Neeraja Kona, who challenged conventions with bold dialogues such as the estrogen versus testosterone exchange delivered by Siddhu Jonnalagadda in Telugu Katha, along with intimate scenes featuring Siddhu and Raashii Khanna. “Her storytelling choices broke stereotypes and surprised audiences on social media,” he says, adding that filmmakers like Neeraja Kona represent a new wave in Telugu cinema, while few other women directors stick to feel-good and soft love stories.

Dismissing the notion that women directors can only deliver feel-good entertainers, actor-turned-director Jeevitha Rajasekhar says, “Women are capable of handling all kinds of themes, including action, because gender has nothing to do with talent.” While she admits that direction has traditionally been a male-dominated space, she believes women are steadily finding their rightful place in cinema.

Reflecting on changing times, Jeevitha says, “I have begun to see more women in costume designing, in the direction department, and even as assistant camerawomen, which shows that things are changing for the better. Some women from well-to-do and educated families may still have apprehensions about the film industry, but that will change once women take centre stage and inspire others to showcase their creative talent in Tollywood.”

“Women are more focused and disciplined, and they are bound to turn the tide,” she concludes. “I am hopeful that women directors like Nandini Reddy and Neeraja Kona will change perceptions in the days to come.”