Despite the massive anticipation surrounding superstar Yash’s Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, the film’s theatrical run did not quite match the enormous expectations built around it. But amid the film’s sprawling cast featuring Yash, Nayanthara, Rukmini Vasanth, Kiara Advani and Tara Sutaria, a young actor quietly made an impression with his performance.
At just nine years of age, Mikail Rao Khan made his acting debut as Adam in Toxic, playing the younger son of Raya, portrayed by Yash, and Mellisa, played by Rukmini Vasanth. Though his screen time is limited, Mikail managed to make an impact in the scenes he appeared in, particularly considering that Toxic marks his very first film.
Hailing from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Mikail comes from a Rajput family with a royal legacy dating back to the British era. According to his father Shakeb Rao, his grandfather, Mohd Ahmad Khan, was given the title of ‘Rao Sahab’ during British rule.
Mikail is currently a Class 5 student at Step by Step School in Noida. Away from acting, the young talent enjoys football, swimming, sketching and rapping. For now, however, his debut in Toxic has given him an early glimpse into the world of films and introduced him to some of Indian cinema’s biggest names.
Siasat.com caught up with Mikail to talk about how he landed the role of Adam, his experience working with director Geetu Mohandas and his co-stars, and whether he sees acting becoming a bigger part of his future.
From an audition in Mumbai to becoming Adam
For Mikail, the journey to Toxic began when his parents, Shakeb Rao and Ashba Rashid, told him about the opportunity. He subsequently began taking classes from the National School of Drama before travelling to Mumbai for his audition.
Interestingly, his first audition did not go exactly as planned. “My first round was not that good,” Mikail recalled. But things changed during the second round, which took place later that night. The young actor gave a performance that left the team impressed.
“In the second round in the night, I did a brilliant performance that even the directors started crying. So, that’s how I got selected in Toxic,” he said.
Landing a role in a major film at such a young age was naturally a proud moment for Mikail. He says he felt particularly proud because Toxic was a global project released in more than 30 countries.
When he learned that he would be playing Adam, however, he did not feel overwhelmed by the character. According to Mikail, he understood that the role required him to portray one particular emotion, which gave him confidence.
‘Geetu ma’am was an outstanding director’
Making a debut can be intimidating for any actor, let alone a nine-year-old. But Mikail says director Geetu Mohandas made the experience comfortable for him from the beginning. “Geetu ma’am was an outstanding director and a great human being,” he said, recalling how warmly she welcomed him on the sets.
According to Mikail, Geetu would explain the instructions to him before his scenes, and he would simply listen and perform accordingly.
“She used to welcome me on the set with her whole heart. She used to tell me all the instructions. And then when I listened to her, I did this brilliant performance that everyone saw on the screen,” he said.
More than anything, it was Geetu’s kindness that stayed with him. “She is a very kind and a very great human being. And she is always very cool with me,” Mikael added.
The toughest scene took an entire night
While his experience on Toxic was largely positive, there was one sequence that proved particularly challenging for the young actor. Mikail recalls a scene involving a jeep, water and his father’s character coming to save him. The sequence took almost the entire night to shoot. “That scene was very hard. It took almost the whole night to shoot it and I was like, when is this going to finish?” he said with the honesty of a nine-year-old.
He was particularly tired and sleepy by the time the shoot wrapped up, making the sequence his most difficult experience on the film.
Meeting Yash: Chocolates, brownies and nervousness
One of the biggest highlights of Mikail’s debut was getting to work with Yash, whom he describes as one of the nicest people he has met. Before meeting the superstar, however, Mikail admits he was nervous.
He recalls being in a hotel when Geetu took him to Yash’s room for their first interaction. Yash immediately helped ease the nerves by giving him chocolates and brownies. “I was very nervous. At the same time, I was excited,” Mikail recalled.
The young actor was also aware of Yash’s massive fan following, particularly in South India, which made the meeting even more exciting for him. But what stood out most was the difference between Yash’s on-screen persona in Toxic and the person Mikail encountered off camera.
“He was very chill with me. He used to ask me, ‘Are you fine? Are you good?’” Mikail said. He added with a smile, “On-screen Yash in Toxic is way more evil than off-screen Yash.”
For Mikail, those small gestures meant a lot. He says he will always cherish the moments when Yash would check on him and make sure he was doing okay.
Yash’s advice to Mikail Rao Khan
Yash also left Mikail with some advice that he intends to remember. “He told me that work hard, be strong and always give your best,” Mikael revealed.
But it was Yash’s kindness that seems to have made the biggest impression on him. “He is the nicest person I have ever met till now,” Mikail said, adding that he will always cherish the superstar’s thoughtful gestures towards him.
A special bond with Rukmini Vasanth
Mikail Rao Khan’s experience with Rukmini Vasanth was equally memorable. Since the two played members of the same family in the film, they also got the opportunity to attend a workshop together. “She was very sweet and I liked working with her,” Mikail said.
Interestingly, the two also discovered that they shared a common interest in sketching. “I will cherish these moments when we both attended the workshop together. And we had the same interest of making sketches,” he added.
While Toxic boasts a star-studded cast including Nayanthara and Kiara Advani, Mikail did not get an opportunity to shoot with either actress. Most of his scenes were with Yash and Rukmini.
The moment Mikail realised the scale of Toxic
For a nine-year-old, the scale of Toxic was perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of the experience. Among the many elaborate sets, one in particular left him stunned, a massive circus set in Bengaluru, along with the graveyard and Raya’s home.
“It was so huge that I actually thought, is this even a real world?” Mikail recalled.
Despite being part of a highly anticipated film with a major superstar, Mikail says he never really felt pressured while working. His reason is simple, the people around him made him feel welcome.
“Everyone on the set was so good that they always made me feel welcomed,” he said.
His family’s emotional reaction
Mikail’s debut also became an emotional moment for his family. He recalls his entire family coming together to watch Toxic, with his parents becoming particularly emotional when they saw their son on the big screen for the first time.
“My parents got very emotional when they saw me in the film,” he said.
What next for Mikail Rao Khan?
At just nine, Mikail is already getting an early taste of the film industry. But unlike many young actors who immediately describe cinema as their dream, he remains refreshingly grounded about what comes next. “It’s not my dream, but I would love to pursue some more films,” he said.
For now, his focus is on learning, experimenting with different emotions and improving his craft.
From travelling to Mumbai for an audition to landing a role in a Yash-starrer, Mikail Rao Khan has already had quite an introduction to the world of cinema. And while Toxic may be just the beginning, the nine-year-old appears eager to keep learning, exploring and discovering what he can do in front of the camera.
