The first poster of Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, starring Yash alongside Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmani Vasanth, was unveiled on 7 January 2026, coinciding with Yash’s 40th birthday.
The film was officially announced in December 2023 under the working title Yash 19, marking the actor’s 19th film as a leading star. Directed by Geetu Mohandas, Toxic signals a bold tonal shift in both scale and storytelling for the filmmaker.
Toxic: A Chaotic, Maximalist Teaser That Breaks Expectations
Director Geetu Mohandas introduces an unfamiliar, chaotic energy in Toxic, a stark departure from his earlier work. The teaser carries the elaborate excess of Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, blended with the flamboyant maximalism of Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby.
The teaser opens in a graveyard, where a man, possibly a don or criminal gang leader, arrives to bury his child. The somber stillness is abruptly shattered when a car pulls up, changing the tone entirely.
Yash’s character emerges, clears the graveyard, and unleashes a relentless barrage of bullets at those present, setting the stage for a violent and operatic narrative.
Cast, Characters, and Release Details
Nayanthara plays Ganga, Kiara Advani essays Nadia, Rukmani Vasanth appears as Melissa, and Huma Qureshi portrays Elizabeth.
The film’s music is composed by Ravi Basrur, with cinematography handled by Rajeev Ravi. Toxic has been shot simultaneously in Kannada and English, aiming for a wider global reach.
Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 19 March 2026, where it will clash with Dhurandhar Part 2: The Revenge and Dacoit: A Love Story.
