In an interview with Filmfare, Abhay Deol spoke about his views on the film Dev D and how it glamorized drugs and alcohol instead of challenging toxic masculinity. According to Deol, the director Anurag Kashyap's adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s classic Bengali novel Devdas had an opposite impact on the audience, making the depiction of drugs and alcohol 'cool.' This has led to a backlash from Deol, who has often called out Kashyap for glorifying toxic masculinity. Despite their differing opinions, the movie was a commercial success, earning 20 crores at the box office.
The 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) came to a close in Goa with Lithuanian film "Toxic" taking home the prestigious Golden Peacock Award. The film, which tackles the disturbing world of child modelling, also won two Best Actress awards for its leading stars. Other winners included Romanian director Bogdan Muresanu and French actor Clement Faveau. The festival also celebrated Indian talent, with actor Vikrant Massey being honored and Indian debut films getting their own category.
In a recent interview, actor Sarathkumar expressed his frustration with the constant criticism and speculation surrounding the personal lives of movie stars. He also condemned YouTube channels, like Bailwan Ranganathan's, for spreading false information and gossip about fellow actors. Sarathkumar emphasized the need for accountability and government intervention in regulating this toxic atmosphere created by unnecessary commentary on celebrities' personal lives.