Shatrughan Sinha and Maneka Gandhi Launch Dr Mukesh Batra’s ‘Toxic’

Maneka Gandhi also spoke warmly about Dr Batra. She described him as a wonderful human being and appreciated his continued efforts to support those who cannot speak for themselves. She spoke about his compassion and his willingness to help others. Gandhi also shared her personal connection with homeopathy, saying that she uses it while caring for animals.

For Dr Batra, Toxic comes from years of observing both the world around him and the struggles people carry within themselves. At the launch, he spoke about air pollution, the quality of food and water, excessive dependence on digital devices and the emotional problems that people often keep to themselves.

“That is why I wrote Toxic—not as a doctor diagnosing a patient, but as a witness to an entire civilization slowly poisoning itself, sometimes with pollutants and sometimes with its own thoughts,” he said.

Dr Batra spoke about people who are “too anxious, too exhausted, or too ashamed to name what’s wrong.” According to him, people often continue with their daily lives while dealing with anxiety, strained relationships and the pressure to constantly achieve more.

The conversation also moved towards environmental pollution and its effect on ordinary life. Dr Batra pointed out that while people are often advised to go for walks and spend time outdoors for better health, that advice becomes difficult to follow when the air itself is polluted. He also raised concerns about contaminated water, food, plastic and the gradual damage to natural resources.

He connected these concerns with another form of excess—the endless desire to have more. Referring to Ghalib’s famous line, “Hazaaron khwahishen aisi,” and the popular phrase “Dil maange more,” Dr Batra spoke about how the constant need to acquire and achieve can gradually turn into greed. In that race, he said, people can lose their sense of contentment.

With Shatrughan Sinha at the event, Dr Batra also spoke about the less visible side of the entertainment industry. Based on his experience of treating people from Bollywood, he described the pressure that exists behind the glamour and fame. Actors and other professionals often work under intense competition, public scrutiny and the uncertainty of how audiences will respond to their work.

“God sits in the box office every Friday,” he remarked, referring to the unpredictable nature of the film business and the pressure that comes with every release.

Dr Batra also drew a parallel with the medical profession. Every patient brings a new responsibility for a doctor, just as every film can bring a new set of expectations for someone working in cinema. In both professions, the pressure to keep performing can take a personal toll.

Swami Shailendra Saraswati brought the conversation back to the importance of looking inward. “It’s not just about our body. We must pay equal attention to our thoughts, emotions and actions,” he said.

The launch was therefore as much about the ideas behind Toxic as it was about the people associated with Dr Batra. Sinha’s tribute reflected their long friendship, while Gandhi’s words highlighted her appreciation for his work with those who need support.

At its heart, Toxic looks at the different forms of toxicity that can enter our lives—from polluted air and unhealthy surroundings to stress, unhealthy desires, difficult emotions and negative thoughts. Through the book, Dr Mukesh Batra and Swami Shailendra Saraswati invite readers to look at health in a wider sense, where caring for the mind and emotions is as important as caring for the body.