Yash’s ‘Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups’ opened with a massive Rs 101.10 crore net in India, but the film’s box office performance has taken a sharp turn over the next two days. On Day 3, the early morning shows in Noida offered a particularly stark picture. A leading theatre chain reportedly had no audience at all for its 9 am show, while the 10:30 am screening had only five people in a 300-seat auditorium.

According to Sacnilk figures cited by multiple reports, ‘Toxic’ earned around Rs 36.40 crore net in India on Day 2, taking its two-day total to approximately Rs 137.50 crore. That marks a drop of about 64% from its reported opening-day collection of Rs 101.10 crore.

The film recorded around 26.6% occupancy on Thursday, despite having a large number of shows across the country. The Hindi version has so far been performing better than the Kannada release, while Telugu has also made a notable contribution. Tamil and Malayalam have recorded smaller numbers in comparison.

Also Read: ‘Toxic’ first reactions: ‘True Pan-India superstar’ or ‘mega boring’? Here’s what netizens say 

The steep fall has raised questions about whether ‘Toxic’ can maintain its momentum through the weekend. The film reportedly crossed Rs 190 crore worldwide within its first two days, but the sharp domestic decline has put more focus on its weekend performance.

Mixed response adds to the pressure

The box office drop comes at a time when ‘Toxic’ is facing a divided response from audiences. Yash’s performance, the action sequences and the film’s visuals have found appreciation, but the screenplay, editing, lengthy runtime and storytelling have been criticised by several viewers.

The film has also found itself at the centre of a fresh controversy over online reviews. The makers have reportedly issued legal notices to some YouTubers following negative reviews. A court order in the matter does not prohibit negative reviews or criticism, but concerns content that the producers claim crosses the line into defamation.

There has also been discussion around the disappearance of audience ratings for Toxic on BookMyShow, with the development sparking speculation online.

Geetu Mohandas faces renewed scrutiny

As criticism of the film grew, an old interview of director Geetu Mohandas also resurfaced on social media. In it, she spoke about her flexible approach to filmmaking and said that the film she writes may not necessarily be the same film she eventually shoots or edits. The old comments have since become part of the online discussion around Toxic.

The film has also reignited an older debate involving Mohandas after actor-director Roopesh Peethambaran questioned her over her past criticism of a scene from Mammootty’s Kasaba.

Also Read: ‘Is this scene toxic for you now…?’ Roopesh Peethambaran revives Geetu Mohandas’ ‘Kasaba’ debate 

About ‘Toxic’

Directed by Geetu Mohandas, ‘Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups’ stars Yash in a dual role. Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth are also part of the cast.

The film released worldwide on August 26 after a long wait and marks Yash’s first major release following ‘KGF: Chapter 2’. It was released across Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam.