Yash’s much-anticipated action drama, Toxic, witnessed a noticeable dip in its Hindi-dubbed collections on its fourth day, Saturday, signaling that the film is struggling to keep pace with some of the biggest blockbusters in recent memory. Trade analysts are now drawing direct comparisons between its early box office trajectory and that of KGF: Chapter 2 and the recently released Dhurandhar 2, both of which enjoyed significantly stronger holdovers during their opening weekends.
The film, which had generated immense buzz ahead of its release due to Yash’s pan-India stardom following the KGF franchise, saw a Saturday drop that has raised a few eyebrows among industry watchers. While a slight decline on the second day is not unusual, the magnitude of the fall has been described as more pronounced than expected, especially when stacked against the record-breaking performances of its predecessors in the action genre. Early estimates suggest that Toxic is now tracking well behind the daily numbers posted by KGF 2 at the same stage of its theatrical run, and it also trails the domestic juggernaut Dhurandhar 2, which has been dominating the Hindi belt.
The comparison with Dhurandhar 2 is particularly relevant, as that film - released earlier this year in March - demonstrated exactly how a large-format actioner should sustain its momentum across a weekend. Directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh in a dual role, Dhurandhar 2 opened to massive numbers and continued to grow on its Saturday, a trend that Toxic has failed to replicate. The former’s gripping narrative, set against the gritty backdrop of Lyari, with Ranveer Singh playing Hamza Ali Mazari / Jaskirat Singh Rangi, kept audiences engaged well beyond its debut, whereas Toxic appears to be facing a more challenging word-of-mouth curve.
The slowdown in Toxic’s collections can be attributed to a mix of factors. For one, the film’s narrative, which reportedly blends high-octane action with a more complex emotional core, may not be resonating as universally as the massy, single-minded appeal of KGF 2. Additionally, the sheer runtime and pacing of Dhurandhar 2 - a 229-minute epic - did not hinder its box office might because it delivered a spectacle that rewarded repeated viewings. In contrast, initial audience feedback for Toxic has been more mixed, with some praising its visual grandeur but others noting a lack of the relentless energy that defined Yash’s earlier blockbuster. That divergence is now showing up in the daily numbers.
Another point of comparison is the performance in multiplexes versus single screens. KGF 2 and Dhurandhar 2 both enjoyed explosive growth in the interior markets, where the mass audience returned in droves over the weekend. Toxic, however, seems to be relying more heavily on metropolitan centers, and the Saturday dip suggests that its appeal in the heartland is not as strong. For a film of this scale, that imbalance is a concern, as it caps the potential for the kind of exponential growth seen in those other titles.
The context around Dhurandhar 2 is worth revisiting to understand the bar that Toxic is being measured against. That film, which also features Arjun Rampal as Major Iqbal, Rakesh Bedi, R. Madhavan, Manav Gohil, Sara Arjun, Sanjay Dutt, and Gaurav Gera, was praised for its taut direction and intricate plotting. Its story - following Hamza’s mission for his country as it spirals into a bloody personal war in the streets of Lyari - offered a layered, gritty experience that critics and audiences alike rewarded with strong ratings (an 8.5/10 on IMDb and 7.3/10 on TMDb). That critical backing translated into sustained footfalls, something Toxic is currently lacking.
For Yash, the pressure is now on to see if Sunday can bring a turnaround. A strong single-day surge on Sunday would help salvage the weekend total, but the trend lines are not encouraging. The film’s makers are likely banking on the holiday period and the lack of major competing releases next week to provide some cushion, but the early data suggests that Toxic will not be setting new benchmarks. Instead, it is settling into a performance that is respectable but far from the unprecedented levels set by the biggest hits of the genre.
The Hindi box office has been particularly unforgiving this year, and Toxic’s trajectory serves as yet another reminder that star power alone is no longer sufficient. Dhurandhar 2 proved that a compelling script and a strong directorial vision can carry a film for weeks, while Toxic is discovering that spectacle without a universally gripping story can lead to a sharper than expected initial drop. As multiplex chains and single screens brace for the Sunday figures, all eyes remain on whether the film can arrest its slide or if it will continue to trail the giants it was expected to rival. For now, the numbers clearly show that it is no match for KGF 2 or Dhurandhar 2 in the long race.
Source: Filmibeat
