Toxic fever grips Bengaluru as Yash fans bring out drums, crackers for FDFS. Videos

The first day, first show of Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, headlined by Yash, began with loud celebrations in Bengaluru on Thursday, as theatres turned into festival-like venues for the film’s release. From crackers to Kerala-style chenda melam, fans gathered outside cinema halls, danced on the streets and marked Yash’s return to the big screen with large public displays.The release came amid considerable anticipation after four years of work with director Geetu Mohandas, and early responses on X suggested a sharply divided reaction to the film.Bengaluru theatres saw heavy fan activity as Toxic reached screens, with Yash’s supporters taking to the streets and dancing as the first shows began.Among the most visible parts of the celebrations was Kerala-style chenda melam, a traditional percussion performance built around the chenda, a cylindrical drum played with sticks. Usually seen at temple festivals, processions and cultural celebrations, it is known for its powerful rhythm and gradual rise in intensity, and is closely associated with grand events such as Thrissur Pooram. All you need to know about the filmToxic is a period action thriller set in post-Independence Goa, against the backdrop of a fading colonial order and the rise of a violent crime syndicate. The story follows a gangster who builds an empire through blood, fear and betrayal, as smuggling routes become contested territory and loyalties begin to fracture. Yash plays a dual role as Raya, an older gangster patriarch, and Rumi, nicknamed Ticket, his estranged son who seeks revenge after being abandoned.The film stars Yash alongside Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Rukmini Vasanth, Tara Sutaria and Huma Qureshi. It marks Yash’s return to cinemas after KGF: Chapter 2 and released worldwide in multiple languages on August 26. Several locations also scheduled early morning shows from 6 am onwards. Ahead of release, reports on Tuesday said more than six lakh tickets had been sold in India, with advance booking sales crossing Rs 30 crore. Some of the earliest reactions praised Yash and the film’s technical scale. One viewer called Yash’s performance and the cinematography the film’s only major positives, while also appreciating the scale of the fight sequences. The same review, however, described the story and screenplay as a complete disaster and said the character introductions and emotional scenes did not land. It also called the intimate scenes forced, described the performances of the female actors as CRINGE PRO MAX, criticised the songs and background score, rated the film 2/5, and called it a bold and different attempt in which style without substance weakened the experience.Another viewer also highlighted Yash, the stunt sequences and the rich visuals as positives, but said the nearly three-hour runtime worked against the film. One more viewer called the film a decent watch with some highs and lows, praising its visuals, production values and several action stretches. According to that reaction, Yash carried many moments effortlessly and the film’s world and presentation felt ambitious. At the same time, the review said the writing was uneven, some portions dragged, the emotional connect fell short and the background score worked only in parts.- Ends(With Inputs from T Maruthi Acharya)Published By: Priyanka SharmaPublished On: Aug 26, 2026 12:01 IST