Will Yash's Rs 500-Crore Toxic Be Bigger Hit Than KGF 2 That Made Him Pan-India Star?

One franchise. More than Rs 1,000 crore business. A Kannada actor established himself as a pan‑India star.

Four years have passed since KGF 2 scripted history. After another four‑year break, Yash is coming back with Toxic, a film made on a gigantic budget of Rs 500 crore.

The question everyone has on their mind is: will Toxic be a bigger hit than KGF 2?

Before revisiting how Yash's old films fared at the box office, we need to understand one thing that makes a big difference.

Before KGF (2018) and KGF 2 (2022), Yash was only a Kannada actor whose films primarily released in Karnataka. The parameters of hit, flop and blockbuster were judged solely on the business the films did in the state of Karnataka. On the other hand, KGF and KGF 2 expanded his business pan‑India and cemented Yash's stardom. So his earlier films are no match for the empire he has created with KGF.

Performance Of Kannada Films (Before KGF Era)

Kiraathaka: In a two‑decade career, Yash delivered several hits and superhits in Kannada. Directed by Pradeep Kumar and starring Yash and Oviya in the lead roles, it is a remake of the Tamil film Kalavani (2010). Made on Rs 50 lakh, the film earned Rs 3 crore in 2011.

Drama: This 2012 film was directed and co‑produced by Yogaraj Bhat under the banners Yogaraj Movies and Jayanna Combines. It stars Yash, Radhika Pandit, Sathish Ninasam and Sindhu Lokanath in lead roles, with veteran actor Ambareesh in an extended cameo appearance. Made on a budget of Rs 4 crore, the film minted Rs 13 crore.

Googly: Directed by Pavan Wadeyar and produced by Jayanna Combines, starring Yash and Kriti Kharbanda in the lead roles, while Ananth Nag, Sudha Belawadi, Deepu, Ashok Sharma, Neenasam Ashwath and Sadhu Kokila appear in supporting roles, this 2013 film minted Rs 40 crore. The film's budget was Rs 4 crore.

Mr. and Mrs. Ramchari: Written and directed by Santhosh Ananddram and produced by Jayanna‑Bhogendra under Jayanna Combines, it stars Yash and Radhika Pandit, alongside Srinath, Achyuth Kumar and Malavika Avinash. The film minted Rs 50 crore.

According to IMDb, these films are listed as blockbusters in Yash's filmography.

KGF Franchise And Its Jaw‑Dropping Numbers

When KGF released in 2018, Yash was not very popular outside the Kannada belt. By the time KGF 2 arrived, the first film had achieved cult status with its theatrical and OTT run.

KGF minted Rs 21.80 crore across Kannada and all languages on its opening day.

After nine weeks, the net collection of the film in India stood at Rs 228 crore, as per trade tracker Sacnilk. KGF was reportedly made on a budget of Rs 80 core. 

KGF Chapter 2 minted whopping worldwide collections of ₹1,215.00 crore (India gross: ₹1,000.85 crore; overseas: ₹214.15 crore) in 2022. The net collection of the film in India stood at Rs 434.70 crore. The budget of KGF 2 was Rs 100 crore. 

According to trade expert Ramesh Bala, if Yash's Toxic can pull off good word‑of‑mouth, the film can surpass the previous big numbers.

Ramesh Bala's Predictions

Trade expert Ramesh Bala predicted that Toxic could manage to earn Rs 50 crore (Hindi) and Rs 50 crore in southern states on its opening day.

"As it's a five‑day weekend, the film has a good chance to earn around Rs 300 crore in the opening weekend," Bala tells us.

About Toxic 

Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown‑ups is produced by Venkat K. Narayana and Yash under KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations. Written and shot in Kannada and English, it will have dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam.

Directed by Geetu Mohandas, the film boasts a stellar cast including Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth.

The film was scheduled to release on June 4 after skipping its mega clash with Dhurandhar: The Revenge on March 19.

The film is releasing today in theatres.

Also Read | 'Don't Take Cinema Seriously': Did Superstar Yash Defend Toxic Content Ahead Of Its Grand Release?