Netizens Draw Comparisons Between Gandhari And Toxic’s Portrayal Of Women

Mumbai: With the trailer of Gandhari written by Kanika Kapoor, creating strong anticipation, Taapsee Pannu’s character has caught attention for the way she appears to be positioned at the centre of the story, with her identity, emotions and choices driving the narrative. Interestingly, some netizens have begun comparing the world of Gandhari with the way women were portrayed in Toxic, particularly when it comes to the difference between a woman having her own agency and being defined largely through her relationship with a man.

While the two films belong to very different worlds and genres, audiences have been quick to point out what they see as a clear contrast in their female characters. One netizen wrote, “#Gandhari >>>>> #Toxic female character. No comparison honestly …these films deserves our time for sure!!!!!”

Another commented, “#Gandhari feels like a WOMAN, not just a love interest. Absolute queen behaviour 👑 #Toxicvictim just stating facts!!” Sharing a similar sentiment, another user said, “Gandhari is literally the definition of a strong woman Aisi female character chahiye not those Toxic Gurls.”

The conversation also extended to the nature of the characters and the space they occupy within their respective stories. One social media user wrote, “Gandhari ko dekho! Queen energy fullll Toxic mein toh woman ko bas man ke peeche pagal dikha diya bhaii.” Another drew a broader distinction, saying, “One movie understands character depth, the other relied on hype. #Gandhari is setting the new gold standard for female leads while #Toxic falls completely flat.”

At the same time, some of the reactions focused less on comparing the films themselves and more on the evolving expectations from female characters in mainstream cinema. One netizen noted, “This is how you write a female character #Gandhari has her own identity 👏🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 nothing like #Toxic 👎👎👎.”

Interestingly, the conversation also touched upon the fact that both films have female writers involved. One user observed, “The difference in how women are shown in both is so clear….Toxic 🥲 Vs Gandhari 🫶🏻…BTW both had Female writers 🤣.” Another summed up the audience sentiment with, “The difference is HUGE! #Gandhari is giving POWER, #Toxic was giving obsession. Superexcited for this one🔥.”

The comparison underlines a larger conversation that audiences are increasingly having around female representation in Indian cinema. Rather than simply being a romantic interest or an extension of the male protagonist’s journey, viewers are looking for women characters with their own motivations, emotional depth and narrative importance. From the reactions so far, Gandhari seems to be striking a chord with audiences precisely because they see a woman who appears to have a story and purpose of her own.