Cinema VinesAt a pre‑release gathering in Chennai, director Vignesh Shivan had the crowd roaring with laughter when he recalled a moment from his past. Years before the blockbuster Love Insurance Kompany hit screens, Shivan had approached actress Kiara Advani to pitch the story that would later become the film. He jokingly told the audience that Kiara was lucky to have turned it down, a remark that had the audience in splits and even prompted a chuckle from Kiara herself, who was seated in the front row.
Shivan’s humour was a highlight of the event, which celebrated the launch of Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown‑Ups, a Yash‑starrer directed by Geetu Mohandas. The film marks the actor’s return to the big screen after a four‑year hiatus. Shivan praised Yash as an inspiration, saying, “In life, there are certain people who become role models for us, icons. We look up to some people, get inspired and want to do a lot of things. Yash sir is one such icon.” He added that working on the film’s songs had given him extra time to spend with Yash, a privilege he described as “so lucky.”
Shivan’s anecdote about Kiara also reminded the audience of Love Insurance Kompany, which released in April 2026 on a budget of roughly ₹90 crore. The sci‑fi romantic comedy, featuring Pradeep Ranganathan and Krithi Shetty, struggled at the box office, earning between ₹58 crore and ₹66.47 crore worldwide. Though the film found a better reception on OTT platforms, it failed to recoup its investment during its theatrical run.
During the pre‑release event, Shivan’s remarks about Kiara and Yash were interspersed with updates on Toxic, which is set in 2040 and explores a world where technology dominates love and relationships. The film’s narrative follows a man who challenges a high‑tech dating platform that claims to determine true compatibility. The event, attended by the entire film crew and a host of fans, underscored the camaraderie and humor that often accompany the Tamil film industry’s biggest releases.
