When Anand L Rai announced Tere Ishk Mein, it initially appeared to be yet another film centred on the familiar “alpha male” archetype. However, when the movie finally hit theatres, it became clear that this time the problem wasn’t just the man—it was equally the woman. Both protagonists are emotionally directionless, trapped in a mindset where the man believes it is acceptable to be toxic in love, while the woman assumes it is okay to string someone along without commitment and believes she can erase deep-rooted anger and trauma entirely through therapy. The result? Two deeply flawed individuals, equally toxic, who ultimately spiral into self-destruction—digging their own graves and quite literally meeting tragic ends. After several critics highlighted the toxic traits in both Dhanush’s Shankar and Kriti Sanon’s Mukti, the actress has now reacted to the criticism, offering a detailed defense of her character’s behaviour. “The terms ‘toxic’ and ‘red flag’ have become quite common,” Kriti told Zoom, adding that the film has sparked widespread debate—something she views as a positive outcome. “People debating whether …