Kiara Advani has revealed that her husband, actor Sidharth Malhotra, was completely unbothered by her intimate scenes with Yash in ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups’, even as she faced considerable online trolling over the sequences. The actress opened up about the controversy during her appearance with Sidharth on Karan Johar’s celebrity chat show ‘Koffee With Karan’ Season 9.
The controversy erupted following the release of the song ‘Tabaahi’, which featured intimate sequences between Kiara and Yash. While the promotional material generated considerable attention, it also attracted criticism from sections of social media, with some users questioning Kiara’s decision to perform such scenes despite being married and a mother.
Interestingly, the criticism also dragged Sidharth into the discussion, with social media users speculating about how he would react to seeing his wife share intimate moments on screen with another actor.
Kiara has now clarified that the subject was never even an issue between the couple.
Speaking on the show, she said that Sidharth had never brought up the scenes or discussed the controversy with her. She explained that his relaxed attitude helped her remain unaffected by the online chatter.
Karan Johar also highlighted the gender bias behind the criticism, pointing out that married male actors rarely face similar scrutiny for performing intimate scenes with their female co-stars.
Kiara agreed with the observation, saying that actresses had faced such judgement for decades. She referred to Aishwarya Rai and several other actresses who had previously been subjected to similar scrutiny.
The actress also said that she did not feel the need to justify her professional choices when the controversy was unfolding. She was encouraged by the number of people online who were already calling out the hypocrisy behind the criticism.
When asked what she would say to trolls who believe married female actors should not perform intimate scenes, Kiara had a brief response: “Grow up.”
The conversation also touched upon the commercial performance of ‘Toxic’. Despite opening strongly, the film failed to sustain the momentum expected by its team. Kiara admitted that the initial response had been heartbreaking and that she had felt very low during the opening weekend.
However, she also acknowledged receiving appreciation for stepping outside her comfort zone and taking on a role that was different from her previous work. She described the experience as potentially defining for her career.
Directed by Geetu Mohandas, ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups’ stars Yash in a dual role as Raya and Rumi. Kiara plays Nadia, while the film also features Nayanthara, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth.
The episode offers an interesting glimpse into how the couple handled a controversy that attempted to turn a professional acting decision into a discussion about their personal relationship. Kiara’s account also brings attention to the continuing double standards faced by married actresses in the entertainment industry.