Toxic advance bookings still not open, needs Rs 180-200 crore breakeven

Trade reports say Toxic, the Yash-starrer releasing this Wednesday, needs Rs 180-200 crore gross in the Telugu states to reach breakeven. As of Tuesday 2 AM, advance bookings had not opened. Distributor Dil Raju has reportedly committed Rs 80 crore as advance for the AP and Telangana rights, with the total deal estimated at Rs 100-120 crore.

Dil Raju reportedly took the risk because producer KVN allegedly assured him that if Toxic fails, the rights of the upcoming Chiranjeevi film Kaaka would be offered at reasonable rates. These remain industry speculations, not confirmed. Toxic is seeking ticket price hikes across the Telugu states. The film clashes with Mythri Movie Makers' Irumudi in the Nizam market, where Irumudi is enjoying strong demand.

m9.news reports that morning and noon shows opened to full houses but audience response has been extremely negative, warning that evening shows could drop. Another report from the same outlet says Dil Raju's recent releases including Shaakuntalam, The Family Star, Game Changer and Thammudu were washouts, and that Sankranthiki Vasthunam was his only big profitable venture recently. The film's performance over the next few days will determine recovery.