‘Toxic’ interview: The intimacy in ‘Tabaahi’ is graceful, says Yogaraj Bhat

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Kannada director-lyricist Yogaraj Bhat shares the creative choices behind the song ‘Tabaahi’ from ‘Toxic’ and dives into his long-time association with actor Yash

Updated - July 17, 2026 09:53 pm IST

Director-lyricist Yogaraj Bhat says the high-voltage romance between the lead characters of ‘Toxic’, essayed by Yash and Kiara Advani, has been captured with grace. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Yogaraj Bhat, one of the finest filmmakers the Kannada film industry has produced, can be mistaken for a full-time lyricist. Such is his command over the language and richness in his imagination that almost every filmmaker from Sandalwood aspires to have at least one song penned by him. It’s no surprise that Yash looked to Bhat for writing the Kannada songs for his ambitious Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, directed by Geetu Mohandas.

The intense song ‘Tabaahi’, sung and composed by Vishal Mishra, features lyrics from Bhat, who is no stranger to writing songs for pan-India projects. His Kannada version of ‘Kesariya’ (’Kesariya Rangu’) for Brahmastra (2023) is a massive chartbuster, with fans claiming it to be better than the original. With just over a month to go for the worldwide release of Toxic, Bhat talks about the polarising reactions to ‘Tabaahi’, the intricate details behind the music and lyrics of the song, and his long-standing association with Yash.

Excerpts from the interview:

At first, ‘Tabaahi’ received mixed responses, with some listeners unhappy about the excessive use of the word ‘Tabaahi’. Others felt the song seemed to have been conceived in Hindi before being adapted into other languages. The lyric video’s minimalist visual approach also drew criticism. However, people began to appreciate it more when the full video was out. What do you think changed?

Imagine releasing a lyrical video with just one poster throughout the song. Not everybody does it, but Yash always likes to maintain exclusivity. He is popular in North India as Rocky Bhai (the lead character in the KGF films). Kiara Advani is stunning. Yet, he made people wait to see what was in store. Every month, more than 100 songs are released across Indian film industries. So, the only way to stay relevant is to release your content at the right time. Just as when people were getting desperate, he dropped the video song. Now, fans have a different thing to say about ‘Tabaahi’. The makers have retained the word ‘Tabaahi’ for all languages because it helps in reaching a wider audience. You can be from any state; if you want to search for the song online, you have to type one word.

The visuals of the song sparked debates, with some viewers feeling the intimate scenes were too bold. How would you describe the emotional intensity and the relationship dynamics between the lead characters?

I feel the visuals of ‘Tabaahi’ are presented with dignity. When intimacy isn’t portrayed on screen with tastefulness, audiences are likely to perceive it differently. You can’t straightforwardly visualise romance. Where is your creativity as a filmmaker then? And relationship dynamics of a couple are often told through songs. You don’t necessarily have separate scenes for them. Even in ‘Tabaahi’, if you notice, you witness a layer of the film’s story in progress. Credit to the cinematographer Rajeev Ravi for capturing the high-voltage romance between the leads with grace. He is a remarkable technician who has adopted a distinct visual grammar for such scenes.

Yash and Kiara Advani in the song ‘Tabaahi’ from ‘Toxic’. | Photo Credit: ZEE MUSIC SOUTH INDIA/YOUTUBE

Have you mastered the art of writing songs that balance the expressions of love and desire? How do you ensure your lyrics don’t make the listeners uncomfortable? Recently, a song from the Kannada movie ‘KD: The Devil’ fell into controversy because people felt it was “vulgar” and “demeaned women”...

The song you are talking about (’Sarse Ninna Seraga Sarse’) is a sensual line that refers to removing the pallu of a saree. I wrote a similar song (’Basanthi)’ for the movie Prem Adda (2012). There is a line that says ‘Akka seragige haakoldri gundu pinnu. It refers to putting a safety pin on a woman’s pallu. I have turned an everyday imagery into something affectionate and playful. The words are light and relatable. The quirkiness of the lyrics makes people laugh. On the contrary, if you are too straightforward and explicit while describing something as common as lust and love, you are bound to receive flak. You should leave things unsaid and push people to imagine.