What was hyped as Indian cinema’s biggest gangster saga is fast turning into its most expensive cautionary tale.
Toxic, fronted by Yash and officially helmed by Geetu Mohandas, has ballooned into a ₹600 crore monster; excluding Yash’s hefty paycheck. Yet, after two years, barely 60% of the film is done.
Behind the glossy posters lies turmoil: endless reshoots, scrapped schedules, casting changes, and a restless crew.
Industry whispers say Yash has sidelined Geetu and is ghost-directing major portions himself. His lack of trust has sparked clashes, grinding progress to a crawl.
For Yash, the stakes couldn’t be higher. KGF 2 made him a national icon, and Toxic was meant to cement that legacy.
Instead, his obsession with control has stalled momentum, with fears mounting that one misfire could expose his stardom as KGF-dependent.
Parallels with Prabhas are already being drawn. Just as Baahubali catapulted Prabhas to pan-India fame, KGF 2 did the same for Yash.
Now, like Prabhas after Baahubali, his next step will decide whether he stays a pan-India force or fades.
Confusingly, Yash has also signed on for two massive projects where he won’t even play the lead, opting for supporting roles in Ramayana and another yet-to-be-revealed film.
For fans who once saw him as the torchbearer of Indian mass cinema, this looks like a safety net in case Toxic implodes.
Right now, Toxic is making noise for all the wrong reasons. With its spiraling budget, mounting delays, and a hero who looks more anxious than invincible, the film risks living up to its title - truly toxic for everyone involved.
