Sanjeeda Shaikh Says She’s Happy About ‘Toxic’, Brushes Off Critics

When Sanjeeda Shaikh was called by director Geetu Mohandas for a tiny part in the much‑talked‑about movie Toxic, she didn’t expect the whole internet to start buzzing about it. The call came, she says, after Geetu watched a single scene of Sanjeeda in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. “I knew they were making a film called Toxic,” Sanjeeda recalls, “and Geetu ma’am rang me right after.”

Her role turned out to be a cameo — the young mother of Yash and Nayanthara’s characters, shown in a flash‑back sequence. It was a three‑day shoot, and the part, though brief, was meant to be “less but deep,” as the director put it. “When I saw myself in the trailer I was surprised,” Sanjeeda admits, “and the response to that short performance was actually quite heartening.”

Because the cameo belongs to an earlier timeline, Sanjeeda never crossed paths with the star‑studded cast on set. “I was on a set with the kids playing the younger versions of Yash and Nayanthara,” she says with a smile. “The energy was good, everyone was friendly, and I just did my bit.”

‘Toxic’ launched with a lot of hype and a heavyweight ensemble that includes Yash, Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth. Sanjeeda was careful not to be lost in the shadows. “I asked Geetu if there was room for me to actually perform,” she explains. “I didn’t want to be there just for the sake of being there, or have a character that didn’t add anything.”

The film, despite its glossy production values, stumbled at the box office and faced a wave of criticism for its graphic violence, portrayal of intimacy, and what many called misogynistic undertones. Even though a female filmmaker helmed it, reviewers accused it of reinforcing the very hyper‑masculine world it might have tried to challenge.

For Sanjeeda, though, the chatter hardly rattles her. “When you make a film, people will have opinions,” she says. “Constructive criticism is welcome, but a lot of the noise is just that – noise. I let it pass by.” She adds that she focuses on the journey of creating art rather than the destination of box‑office numbers or social‑media storms. “Aap apna kaam karo aur baaki dekha jaayega,” she quotes, meaning do your work and let the rest take its course.

Alongside Toxic, the actress also has releases like Ikka, Dhamaal 4 and Jeevan Ya Bheema Con this year. Yet, she says, the cameo in Toxic remains special because it reminded her that even a short, well‑crafted moment can leave a lasting imprint on audiences.

In a world where every comment can feel amplified, Sanjeeda Shaikh’s mantra is simple: stay true to the craft, enjoy the process, and let the rest of the chatter drift away.