Yash's Toxic crosses Rs 3 billion worldwide, Sumalatha calls him 'fearless', says film is ahead of its time

Yash's much-anticipated pan-India film Toxic opened with a massive Rs 100 crore-plus start, but momentum hasn't been sustained. The numbers have slipped since Day 2, with the fall becoming sharper each day. On its sixth day in theaters, Toxic added Rs 7.45 crore in India, bringing its domestic gross to Rs 264.80 crore. Net collections in India now stand at Rs 221.55 crore.

The film's overseas run contributed another Rs 2 crore, taking the international gross to Rs 39.25 crore. Combined with domestic numbers, Toxic's worldwide gross has crossed Rs 304 crore, reaching Rs 304.05 crore. Trade tracker Sacnilk recorded a modest 16% occupancy for the film on Day 6. Hindi dominates the language market with Rs 4.40 crore from roughly 9,500-plus shows, followed by Kannada with Rs 2 crore, Tamil at Rs 30 lakh, and Telugu at Rs 68 lakh.

The makers' budget estimates for Toxic have varied between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1,000 crore, making the single-digit-crore daily run a cause for concern. The underwhelming response has reignited the debate on whether Yash's stardom translates to pan-India box office success like it did with an earlier franchise or if Toxic reveals the limits of that comparison.

In response to the criticism, Yash finds support within the Kannada industry, with actor Sumalatha praising his performance as his best yet and describing the film as a bold, visually striking achievement marking a turning point in his career. Sumalatha believes the backlash may simply be ahead of its time or misunderstood by viewers uncomfortable with Yash's artistic evolution. She encourages him to keep going despite the noise.