Viral Toxic teaser actress Beatriz Taufenbach deactivates Instagram amid backlash over intimate scene with Yash

The teaser of Yash’s upcoming film Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups has sparked controversy over a scene showing an intimate moment inside a car near a cemetery, drawing sharp criticism from several quarters. Amid the backlash, Beatriz Taufenbach — the Brazilian model and actor who appears opposite Yash in the scene — appears to have deactivated her Instagram account.

Since the teaser’s release, there has been widespread curiosity about the woman featured in the controversial sequence. Early reports had identified her as actor Natalie Burn, but director Geetu Mohandas later clarified the matter on Instagram, introducing Beatriz Taufenbach as the actor seen in the scene. “This beauty is my cemetery girl Beatriz Taufenbach,” Mohandas wrote while sharing her photo.

As criticism mounted, Beatriz’s Instagram profile became inaccessible. Searches for her handle now return a message stating, “Profile isn’t available,” suggesting that the account has been deactivated.

The teaser has also attracted formal complaints. Leaders of the women’s wing of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) filed a complaint with the Karnataka State Commission for Women (KSWC), objecting to what they described as obscene and explicit content and seeking the teaser’s removal. In a letter, AAP state secretary Usha Mohan said the scene harms the social well-being of women and children, degrades the dignity of women and insults Kannada culture. Following the complaint, the KSWC wrote to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) seeking appropriate action.

Separately, social activist Dinesh Kallahalli lodged a complaint with the CBFC, objecting to what he termed “obscene, sexually explicit and morally offensive” visuals in the teaser. The filmmakers have not yet responded publicly to the complaints.

Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is written by Yash and Geetu Mohandas and directed by Mohandas. The film stars Yash alongside Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria. Produced by Venkat K Narayana and Yash under KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations, the film is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on March 19, when it will clash with Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2, directed by Aditya Dhar.