Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says the film's script was its main downfall, despite strong performances and technical work.
The verdict on Yash’s 'Toxic' is no longer in question — it’s already been delivered. The film didn’t just underperform. It collapsed. And trade analyst Taran Adarsh has now named the root cause: weak writing.
Speaking exclusively to Bollywood Hungama, Adarsh laid bare his assessment, stating flatly that if the film failed to connect with audiences, it was because of its screenplay. “If this film has not worked, then the main reason is its writing. Weak writing,” he said, underscoring that even a promising concept can fall flat when translated to screen.
He added that while an idea might look compelling on paper, it doesn’t always hold up in execution, audiences, he noted, found the experiment strange. He wasn’t holding back: “I did not like Toxic either. I believe the main reason the film did not work was its writing. The writing was weak.” But Adarsh made clear he wasn’t dismissing the actor’s effort.
Yash, he said, delivered a strong performance. Especially in his dual role, and proved himself a confident and fine performer. “He also played a double role, and I really enjoyed his performance,” Adarsh said. Still, he stressed the limits of talent when the material is flawed.
“But what happens when the material given to you. The written material, is weak, even if the idea is good!” he trailed off, letting the implication hang. On the technical side, he had no complaints. The visuals were spectacular.
The production design, cinematography, and finish were described as brilliant. Kiara Advani and Nayanthara were both praised for their performances. Huma Qureshi and Rukmini Vasanth, though present, could have been given more depth. “They could perhaps have had better-developed roles,” Adarsh observed.
He also reflected on the broader fallout. When a film fails, he said, the energy behind it gets diluted. “All the effort put into it gets diluted to some extent.” Then comes the backlash. On social media, in reviews, in headlines.
“You cannot control it today,” he admitted, though he wished there weren’t so much of it. The numbers only confirm the narrative. The English version earned just Rs. 3.16 lakhs in its first week. Tuesday collections dropped to a shocking Rs. 3,125.
That’s not a bad opening. That’s a collapse. Now, the story isn’t over. Not yet.
The film’s failure raises questions about how studios approach high-concept projects. Can star power carry a weak script? Can spectacle compensate for substance? And what happens when a film with such ambition lands so far from its mark?
The answers aren’t in the box office. They’re in the next script.
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