Cinema VinesYash returns to the silver screen after a four‑year hiatus with Geetu Mohandas’s revenge thriller Toxic, slated for a pan‑India release in Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu. The film has already sparked a frenzy, with advance bookings breaking several records and setting the stage for what many predict will be one of the biggest openings of the year.
Advance sales opened at 6 a.m. on Friday, 21 August, and the national cinema chains followed a few hours later. Within five days, the film had sold over 1.5 million tickets, earning just under ₹50 crore on its first day. The Kannada version led the early rush, but the Hindi dub soon eclipsed it, pulling in ₹25 crore from advance bookings alone versus ₹18 crore for the original. The high occupancy rates of the Kannada release and the strong performance of the Hindi version underline Yash’s growing popularity across North India, a trend that began with the success of the KGF franchise.
Trade analysts expect Toxic to open net at around ₹85–90 crore in India, with the Hindi version contributing ₹35–40 crore and the Kannada release following closely. The Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu versions are projected to add another ₹12–15 crore. If the word‑of‑mouth proves strong, the film could edge closer to the ₹100‑crore mark, though analysts say crossing that threshold will be challenging.
Internationally, the film targets a $2.5 million first‑day haul from key markets such as North America and the Middle East, which would push its worldwide total to roughly ₹120–130 crore. This would place Toxic as the 12th biggest opening for an Indian film ever, surpassing titles like Animal (₹116 crore), Adipurush (₹127 crore) and Jawan (₹129 crore). However, it would still fall short of Yash’s own record of ₹164 crore set by KGF Chapter 2. The film will also rank as the second‑largest opening of the year for Indian cinema, behind Dhurandhar 2’s ₹205 crore debut but ahead of Peddi’s ₹117 crore start.
Directed by Geetu Mohandas, Toxic features a star‑studded ensemble that includes Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria. The film has already drawn attention for its steamy, intimate scenes and controversial depictions that some critics argue portray women in a negative light. Toxic opened in theatres on 26 August and is poised to test the limits of Yash’s box‑office appeal across multiple languages and regions.
