Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups marks Kannada superstar Yash’s highly anticipated return to the big screen four years after delivering an all-time blockbuster with Prashant Neel’s .
Once again, he is playing a gangster, albeit with a major twist. This time around, he takes on a double role as a father and son, with the younger part requiring him to finally shave off his trademark thick beard.
The film also marks actor-director Geetu Mohandas’ massive leap into mainstream commercial cinema, following her acclaimed indie dramas like Liar’s Dice and Moothon. This is her directorial debut in Kannada.
Ensemble Cast
Toxic boasts an ensemble of five leading ladies: Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, and Rukmini Vasanth. Sanjeeda Sheikh drops in for a special appearance.
After facing at one point it was even supposed to clash with Dhurandhar: The Revenge on March 19 —Toxic is finally hitting theatres on August 26.
The film is securing a wide release across multiple languages, including Kannada, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and even English.
Soaring Advance Sales
Thanks to the massive hype surrounding the film and Yash’s pan-India stardom post-KGF, Toxic is currently tearing through advance ticket sales.
According to box office tracking web site Sacnilk, nearly 9 lakh tickets have already been sold across roughly 18,000 shows, with the Hindi version taking the lead over other language formats, with about 4.9 lakh tickets sold.
In total, the tracker reports Toxic has amassed a staggering Rs 41.75 crore (Rs 417.5 million) in advance sales in India alone, including block seating, and according to reports, the movie may gross over Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) globally.
The violent action spectacle is also rolling out in premium formats like IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, and EPIQ.
Strictly Adults Only
Reportedly mounted on a massive budget of over Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion), Toxic boasts a hefty runtime of roughly 194 minutes.
The trailers heavily promise grand visuals, top-notch cinematography, well-executed set pieces, and bloody violence. However, for a film carrying such an enormous price tag, Toxic faces a significant commercial hurdle: The censor board has slapped it with a strict ‘Adults Only’ rating due to its intense sequences of extreme violence and sensuality.