Yash returned to cinemas after four years with Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, a period gangster drama directed by Geetu Mohandas. The film was released worldwide on August 26, 2026, in Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and English.
The film marked Yash’s first lead role since K.G.F: Chapter 2 in 2022. It was produced by KVN Productions and Yash’s own banner, Monster Mind Creations. Yash also co-wrote the film.
Cast and Crew
The ensemble cast includes Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, and Rukmini Vasanth. Yash plays a dual role as Raya and his estranged son, Ticket.
Geetu Mohandas directed the film. The cinematography was handled by Rajeev Ravi. Ravi Basrur composed the background score. The film’s runtime is 3 hours and 14 minutes.
The official logline on IMDb reads: ‘As Portuguese rule crumbles in Goa, Raya rises through betrayal and bloodshed to claim the city’s underworld, only to learn that power always demands a price.’
Release Delays and New Dates
The film was initially scheduled for March 19, 2026, setting up a clash with Dhurandhar 2. The release was postponed due to geopolitical tensions in West Asia that affected international distribution. It was then moved to June 4, before finally settling on August 26.
On September 3, 2026, Geetu Mohandas announced that an English-language version would release in select theatres on September 4. She wrote on X: ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, in English – one of the languages the film was written and shot in. A shorter cut from the Indian language version. In cinemas from September 4, 2026.’
Yash on the Film’s Adult Tone
Yash addressed the film’s target audience on Rajat Sharma’s show Aap Ki Adalat. He said: ‘Children shouldn’t watch this film. This film is not made for children. All children should stay at home. That’s very clear. We didn’t make it for children.’
He also explained the film’s tagline. He said: ‘Since I titled it, I also put the tagline underneath it. It’s a fairy tale for grown-ups.’
Yash added that the film is a complex and multi-layered story. He said: ‘Wherever the story goes, it is important to explore every layer of this character. For me, such a story should be told in the most authentic way. This is beyond my scope as a human being.’
Controversies Before Release
The film faced criticism over its portrayal of women. Some viewers described scenes as sexualised and misogynistic. One scene showing Yash’s character in an intimate situation with a woman inside a car near a cemetery drew criticism on social media.
Former BJP leader K Annamalai criticised the Central Board of Film Certification for clearing the film. He said: ‘Regulations should be tightened… The censorship board must make firm decisions regarding which scenes are permissible, even in films starring major actors.’
Annamalai also questioned the impact of such portrayals. He said: ‘The film has collected Rs 104 crore on day one itself. They depict women in one particular way and if we make children watch this daily, what will happen to women in this country?’
Yash defended the film at a pre-release event in Hyderabad. He said: ‘There’s a voice for women in this film, unlike how it is coming across in the trailer. Watch the movie and enjoy.’
In 2024, a case was registered against the film’s producer over alleged illegal tree cutting during a shoot in a forested area in Bengaluru.
Box Office Opening and Decline
The film opened strongly. Its worldwide opening-day gross was around Rs 140 crore, with an India nett of around Rs 101 crore. The opening week set a high benchmark.
However, collections dropped sharply after the first weekend. By Day 2, India nett fell to around Rs 37 crore. By the first Monday, daily collections slipped below Rs 10 crore. By Day 16, the film managed only around Rs 40 lakh in India.
As of Day 15, the worldwide gross stood at around Rs 339.32 crore. Trade analyst Ramesh Bala told India Today: ‘Unfortunately, Toxic has become one of the biggest losses in recent times. It failed to recover almost 60 per cent of its budget.’
Bala added: ‘The worldwide share of Toxic is around Rs 150 crore, which is unbelievably less for a film of this scale. Not just in Karnataka, the film has failed to perform in India and overseas as well. It failed to even reach the breakeven point.’
The film’s reported losses were placed in the same range as Game Changer and Adipurush. The collapse also hurt its OTT prospects.
Critical Reception
Reviews were mixed. Filmfare gave the film 3.8 out of 5, calling it a period gangster film that is high on stylised action. The review noted: ‘At its best, it does. At other times, Toxic feels like a film struggling to contain its own ambitions.’
The Deccan Herald was more critical. It wrote: ‘Yash is compelling in long shots, but as the camera moves closer and Raya begins to speak, the performance becomes less persuasive.’ The review added that the film’s dialogues ‘repeatedly reduce women to objects of male desire or possession.’
ThePrint called the film a ‘disaster of the decade’ in its early reactions. Other critics described it as soulless, violent, and boring.
Some reviewers praised Yash’s dual performance. Filmfare noted that Yash gives Ticket a ‘feral, almost animalistic quality’ and that the contrast between the two characters is one of the film’s best ideas.
The film’s cinematography by Rajeev Ravi received praise. However, the Deccan Herald said the visuals ‘mostly remain as just aesthetic pieces.’ The background score by Ravi Basrur was also criticised as too loud.
As of September 11, 2026, Toxic’s worldwide gross hovered around Rs 340 crore. The film continued to run in a limited number of shows.
