Yash’s Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups opened in theatres on Wednesday, August 26, amid huge expectations and a massive Telugu market deal. However, the film has encountered an unusual challenge in parts of Telangana. Audiences in Makthal reportedly protested outside a theatre after shows of Ravi Teja’s Irumudi were replaced by Toxic. The incident has caught attention because Irumudi is a holdover release, while Toxic is one of the biggest pan-India films of the year. At the same time, early reviews for Yash’s film have been mixed to negative.
Yash’s Toxic Faces Strong Competition From Irumudi In Telugu Belt
Irumudi, starring Ravi Teja and Baby Nakshathra, arrived in theatres before Toxic and developed a strong connection with audiences in several areas. Directed by Shiva Nirvana, the film is an emotional action drama built around the relationship between Ravi Teja’s character and his daughter. The film has surprised one and all with its exceptional box office run so far, having grossed Rs 100 crore worldwide.
The demand became particularly visible in Makthal, a Tier-3 town in Telangana. According to Sacnilk, audiences gathered outside a theatre and questioned the management after Irumudi shows were replaced with Toxic. They reportedly wanted the Ravi Teja film back on the screens.
Toxic vs Irumudi
The situation also comes at a crucial time for Toxic. The Yash-starrer had generated strong pre-release interest because of the actor’s popularity after the KGF franchise. However, the first reviews have not been uniformly positive.
In the Telugu market, the early word of mouth could therefore become important. Irumudi is already showing a strong local audience connect. Rashmika Mandanna has also praised Ravi Teja’s film, saying that it affected her emotionally and deserved wider discussion.
All About Toxic Telugu Theatrical Rights
The business surrounding in the Telugu states has been large. Earlier this year, reports claimed that Dil Raju’s Sri Venkateswara Creations acquired the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana theatrical distribution rights for Rs 120 crore on an advance-on-commission basis. At the time, the deal was described as the biggest acquisition for a non-Telugu-origin film in the region.
However, a more recent trade report has put the actual advance being committed at around Rs 80 crore, with different amounts allocated across the territories. Around Rs 40 crore was arranged through Andhra distributors, while the Ceeded region accounted for Rs 12 crore. Dil Raju’s own distribution office is said to be handling Nizam, with that territory valued at approximately Rs 28 crore.
Trade reports claim that KVN Productions assured Dil Raju that the rights to Chiranjeevi’s upcoming film Kaaka would be offered to him if the Yash-starrer failed to perform as expected in the Telugu market.
For now, the real test is whether Toxic can overcome the mixed word of mouth and deliver strong collections across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.