Few Indian films have been waited on as long as Toxic. Announced back in December 2023 as Yash's first film after KGF: Chapter 2, it moved release dates four times before finally reaching cinemas on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. By Tuesday night the advance booking numbers looked like a record was coming. By Wednesday afternoon the reviews had landed, and the conversation had changed.
If you are deciding whether to book a ticket this weekend, here is a straight look at what the film is, what critics actually said, and how the opening day is shaping up.
What Is Toxic About?
Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is a period gangster drama directed by Geetu Mohandas, set in Goa's opium underworld across the 1940s to the 1970s. Yash plays a dual role, alongside Nayanthara, Kiara Advani in her Kannada debut, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth and Akshay Oberoi.
It was shot simultaneously in Kannada and English and dubbed into Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam. Produced by KVN Productions with Yash's Monster Mind Creations, the reported budget runs past ₹500 crore, with some trade reports placing it higher still. The runtime is a hefty three hours and twelve minutes.
Toxic Movie Review: What Critics Are Saying
The verdict is genuinely split, and the gap between the highest and lowest ratings is unusually wide for a film of this size.
| Publication | Rating | Verdict in short |
|---|---|---|
| Koimoi | 3 / 5 | Yash in career-best form; bloated runtime |
| Bollywood Hungama | 2 / 5 | Scale and swagger, weak emotional connect |
| Gulte | 1.75 / 5 | Grand production, aimless writing |
The common thread is easy to spot. Almost every reviewer praises the craft — Rajeev Ravi's camerawork, the period design, the sheer physical scale of the sets — and almost every reviewer struggles with the screenplay. Several critics felt Yash was still working inside his KGF template, while others called the dual role his best performance yet.
One criticism appears in nearly every review: the female leads. Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi and Rukmini Vasanth all get striking introductions and very little to do afterwards.
Toxic Box Office Day 1: The Numbers So Far
Whatever the reviews say, the opening is huge. India advance bookings for day one crossed ₹57.74 crore gross excluding blocked seats, and roughly ₹72.95 crore including them — about 18.26 lakh tickets across 25,637 shows.
| Language | Advance booking (gross) | Tickets sold |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi | ₹23.41 crore | 7.09 lakh |
| Kannada | ₹15.63 crore | 3.88 lakh |
| Telugu | ₹5.76 crore | 2.63 lakh |
| Tamil | ₹2.16 crore | 1.38 lakh |
Note: These are advance booking figures. Final day 1 collection numbers are still being compiled by trade trackers and will be updated as they are confirmed.
The real test is Thursday and Friday. Films that open on divided reviews often post a monster day one and then drop sharply once word of mouth settles — something we saw play out very differently with The Odyssey's box office run in India, where strong reviews kept the hold steady.
Should You Watch Toxic in Theatres?
If you go for scale, action blocks and Yash on a big screen, the theatre is the right place for this film and you will probably enjoy it. If you want a tight story with characters you care about, three hours is a long sit and the reviews suggest you may lose patience in the second half.
For more of this year's releases, see our roundup of the top 10 Bollywood movies in 2026 and how Dhamaal 4 performed at the box office.
The Verdict So Far
Toxic is the most expensive gamble Indian cinema has taken in a while, and day one suggests the curiosity was real. Whether it becomes a hit depends entirely on how the next 72 hours go. On reviews alone, this is a film to watch for its ambition rather than its story — and that is a fragile place for a ₹500-crore film to stand.
Box office figures in this article are based on publicly reported advance booking data and are still developing. Ratings quoted are from the respective publications' own reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Toxic release in India?
Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups released in Indian cinemas on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, after several postponements. It opened across more than 12,000 screens worldwide in Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and English.
Is Toxic worth watching, according to reviews?
Reviews are sharply divided. Ratings range from about 1.75 out of 5 to 3 out of 5. Nearly every review praises the scale, the cinematography and Yash's screen presence, while criticising the screenplay, the pacing and the underwritten female characters.
What is the runtime of Toxic?
Toxic runs a little over three hours. Reviews have reported the runtime as roughly 3 hours 12 minutes to 3 hours 14 minutes, and several critics felt the film would have worked better shorter.
How much did Toxic earn in advance booking for day 1?
India advance bookings for opening day crossed ₹57.74 crore gross excluding blocked seats, and about ₹72.95 crore including blocked seats, with roughly 18.26 lakh tickets sold across 25,637 shows. Final day 1 collection figures are still being reported.
Who directed Toxic and who is in the cast?
Toxic is directed by Geetu Mohandas. Yash plays a dual role, and the cast includes Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth and Akshay Oberoi. It is produced by KVN Productions and Yash's Monster Mind Creations.