Toxic Movie Review and Release Highlights: Yash-starrer crosses Rs 100 crore mark on Day 1

Toxic recorded an afternoon occupancy of 51.62% in Hindi, 62.38% in Telugu, 89.31% in Kannada, 50.42% in Tamil, and 53.50% in Malayalam on Day 1.

A post by X page Rangasthalam read, "A very rare scene was witnessed in Makthal, a Tier-3 town in Telangana, where audiences staged a protest outside a theatre demanding shows for Irumudi. The protest reportedly took place after Ravi Teja’s Irumudi shows were replaced by Yash’s Toxic following the film’s release today."

According to trade tracker Sacnilk, Yash-starrer Toxic, currently running across 13,556 shows in India, has collected Rs 54.85 crore net as of 3 pm on Wednesday. This takes its total India gross collection to Rs 64.72 crore.

Toxic recorded a 37.85% morning occupancy in Hindi, 57.08% in Telugu, 77.69% in Kannada, 45.25% in Tamil, and 40.13% in Malayalam on Day 1.

According to trade tracker Sacnilk, Yash-starrer Toxic, currently running across 11,463 shows in India, has collected Rs 41.72 crore net as of 1 pm on Wednesday. This takes its total India gross collection to Rs 49.23 crore.

User @RangasthalamIN said via X, "Toxic is a complete one man show by Yash…!! he absolutely nailed both raya & ticket, bringing distinct shades and terrific screen presence to both roles. despite its flaws and lengthy runtime, the writing and story lack emotional connectivity in parts, while the slow pacing makes the film feel stretched. The climax twist is brilliantly executed, the fight sequence builds the suspense perfectly before leading to an unexpected reveal. The action episodes are the film’s biggest strengths."

At a pre-release event in Kochi, Yash said, "We were on such a tight schedule that we thought we might miss coming to Kerala. Some of my friends were laughing and asking, ‘Do you call this promotion? You’re going just one day before the release.’ I told them, we aren’t promoting, we are connecting. This isn’t for sale. We are respecting the love that Kerala has given us."

X user @prakashraj_Jspk posted, "Not a bad one definitely But lack of emotional connection leaves you no impact. Most if time it feeks like viewing a Hollywood film such is the visual grandeur Yash screen presence is lit. Kiara is gorgeous and nayan screen presence is super. Some of the dialogues are good."

User @Binged_ took to X and wrote, "All style, absolutely no substance. Not a single character makes an impact. Women, bold scenes and endless action blocks, yet NOT ONE GENUINE HIGH. The second half has a massive rescue job ahead!"

User @Chrissuccess tweeted, "Ultra Stylish Yash & Rich Productions Values r plus. Circus Fight Super. Has Style, Glamour, Violence. But No proper Character Intro, Dialogues, No Emotional Connect. Random Characters and a Clueless screenplay!"

On the eve of Toxic's release, Yash posted a note on social meda which read, "Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is not just a film for us, it's years of heart poured into a world we built frame by frame, scene by scene, choice by choice. Every technician, artist, and crew member involved in the making and release of this film intends for you to have a similar experience. An experience made for the big screen as a community. The love you've already shown this film, the excitement, the thunderous advance we've seen coming in, means more to us than words can carry. Thank you for your support throughout our journey. There's one thing we sincerely request from you, let the experience unfold the way it was meant to. Don’t record scenes from the movie in theatres and post them on social media, don’t give away story beats and spoilers and ruin it for others. Let the next person walk into the world of Toxic exactly the way you did."

On the international front, Toxic is breaking barriers even before its first show. In the UK, this Yash-starrer is the biggest Indian releases in history, with more than 400 screens, a scale that was previously unprecedented for a Kannada film. According to Venky Box Office, the film has already grossed $292,541 across 362 locations and 873 shows. READ MORE

For many in Karnataka, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups represents more than just another major release, it is being viewed as a matter of pride for the Kannada film industry and Yash’s journey onto the global stage. Speaking to SCREEN, Karnataka Producers Association member Ramakrishna DK said it was inspiring to see a regional actor reach the level of Bollywood and Hollywood while recalling Yash’s humble beginnings as the son of a bus driver. He also described Toxic as a boon for exhibitors at a challenging time, claiming that several theatres had been struggling and that the film’s first-day shows were already sold out. Industry members believe Yash’s ambitious global attempt could encourage other Kannada actors and filmmakers to dream bigger, with exhibitors reportedly giving Toxic priority despite several Kannada films having released the previous week.

Yash-starrer Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups has entered the list of top five South Indian films with highest Day 1 advance booking gross, with the film currently sitting at No. 4. Toxic has recorded a direct advance gross of Rs 35.90 crore, with 10,41,503 tickets sold, while bookings remain open ahead of its August 26 release. The list is led by Pushpa 2: The Rule at Rs 91.24 crore, followed by Yash’s KGF Chapter 2 at Rs 80.30 crore and Leo at Rs 46.36 crore. L2: Empuraan rounds out the top five with Rs 11.28 crore. With bookings still underway, Toxic has an opportunity to narrow the gap with Leo before its release.

At a Chennai event, Huma Qureshi spoke about her experience of working on Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, calling the film an important part of her life. The actor said she has spent the last three years on the project and recalled how director Geetu Mohandas offered her the role without revealing much, simply asking her to trust her vision. Huma also praised producer KVN Productions for shaping the film beautifully despite its ups and downs, while calling Kiara Advani’s dedication “extraordinary” and highlighting that she worked on the film during her pregnancy. Huma further praised Yash, saying that while there are stars and superstars, “there is only one Rocking Star”, and added that he is taking the industry to a global level.

At the Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups event in Chennai, Yash spoke warmly about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, praising his commitment, discipline and the love he has earned from people. Yash said that he and others have “really learned a lot” from Vijay and admired his dedication. He noted that Vijay is working tirelessly for the people of Tamil Nadu and described his transition into public service as a progressive step. Yash also said that when audiences give artistes love and respect, they have a responsibility to give it back, adding that Vijay has now reached a stage in his life where he is returning that love and respect to the people of Tamil Nadu.

Yash’s K.G.F: Chapter 2 remains the benchmark for his opening-day numbers. KGF 2 closed its Day 1 advance booking at around Rs 80.30 crore, with more than 2.9 million tickets sold on BookMyShow and over 4 million tickets reportedly sold across all platforms and languages before release. Its language-wise advance gross stood at Rs 40.65 crore in Hindi, Rs 17.95 crore in Kannada, Rs 13.80 crore in Telugu, Rs 4.40 crore in Tamil and Rs 3.50 crore in Malayalam, before the film went on to record a massive Rs 116 crore Day 1 collection after walk-ins were added. In comparison, Toxic has so far recorded a Rs 35.31 crore gross in Day 1 advance bookings across India, with 10.16 lakh tickets sold across 19,704 shows in all languages and formats. Including blocked seats, the advance gross rises to Rs 45.13 crore.

With Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, Yash returns to the big screen four years after the massive success of K.G.F: Chapter 2 in 2022. The film was initially scheduled for March 2026 before being pushed to June and eventually moved to August. With every delay, anticipation surrounding Yash’s return has continued to build.