Souvik Saha
After a four-year wait, expectations were understandably massive from Yash’s Toxic. With Geetu Mohandas at the helm, a huge production scale, a talented cast and Yash returning in a larger-than-life role, the film had all the ingredients to become a major theatrical event.
Unfortunately, Toxic turns out to be a case where the packaging is far more impressive than the content.
The film looks stylish, ambitious and technically polished, but the biggest problem lies in its storytelling. What could have been a gripping gangster action drama instead becomes an unnecessarily stretched experience that struggles to maintain a consistent narrative, emotional connection or dramatic impact.
Story & Screenplay
The screenplay is the weakest link of Toxic.
The film takes its time establishing its world, but the narrative never develops the kind of momentum required to justify its lengthy runtime. The first half has a few high moments, particularly Yash’s introduction and some action sequences, but the story frequently loses focus.
The second half continues the same problem. There is hardly any strong narrative progression, and several sequences feel disconnected from one another. The film repeatedly moves from setup to elevation to action without giving the characters enough emotional or dramatic depth.
The final twist does offer some interest, but by that stage the film has already tested the audience’s patience.
Direction
Geetu Mohandas clearly had a massive vision for Toxic. The film attempts to create a stylish, dark and larger-than-life cinematic world, and that ambition is visible in almost every frame.
However, the obsession with style and presentation often comes at the expense of basic storytelling.
There are plenty of elevations, slow-motion moments, violence and visually designed sequences, but they don’t always contribute meaningfully to the narrative. The film occasionally feels more interested in creating a particular image or moment than developing its characters or story.
The KGF-style mass treatment is also quite evident, but Toxic doesn’t always manage to establish a strong individual identity of its own.
Yash
Yash is undoubtedly one of the biggest positives of the film.
His screen presence is terrific, and his entry is easily among the film’s most crowd-pleasing moments. Whenever he appears on screen, he brings an effortless mass appeal and charisma that few actors can match.
He handles the action, attitude and larger-than-life moments with confidence.
However, even Yash’s powerful screen presence cannot completely compensate for a screenplay that doesn’t give his character enough emotional depth. The character looks powerful, but the writing doesn’t always make the audience emotionally invested in his journey.
Kiara Advani
Kiara Advani is one of the better aspects of Toxic.
She brings confidence, glamour and intensity to her role and manages to stand out whenever she gets the opportunity. Her performance is considerably stronger than what the uneven screenplay allows her character to be.
While the character could have been developed further, Kiara makes a genuine impression.
Nayanthara
Nayanthara delivers a sincere and controlled performance, but her character suffers from limited development.
Considering her calibre, the role could have carried much greater emotional weight. Unfortunately, the screenplay doesn’t fully utilise her potential.
The issue is therefore more with the writing than with the performance.
Action
The action sequences are among the film’s major strengths.
Several fight episodes are stylishly mounted and should work well with audiences looking for big-screen spectacle. Yash’s physicality and screen presence add considerably to these moments.
However, the problem is overuse.
The film relies too heavily on action, violence and repeated elevations. When every sequence attempts to be a major high point, the impact gradually decreases.
A more balanced approach between action and storytelling could have made these sequences much more effective.
Cinematography & Production Design
Technically, Toxic is impressive.
The cinematography is stylish, the production design is lavish and the film has a genuinely big-screen appearance. Several frames are visually striking, and the overall world feels expensive and carefully constructed.
This is one department where the film consistently demonstrates its ambition.
The visuals are undoubtedly one of the reasons to experience Toxic in a theatre.
Music & Background Score
The background score works in parts, especially during Yash’s entry and some of the major action sequences.
The sound design also contributes to the film’s larger-than-life presentation.
However, the music doesn’t always create the emotional impact required by the story. The BGM can elevate a scene, but it cannot completely compensate for the lack of emotional weight in the writing.
Editing & Pacing
The editing is another major weakness.
At close to three hours, Toxic feels considerably longer than it needs to be. Several portions could have been trimmed, particularly sequences that repeat the same style of elevation and action.
The first half has noticeable stretches of lag, while the second half continues to feel slow despite the presence of action.
A tighter edit could have transformed the overall experience significantly.
Emotional Connect
This is perhaps the film’s biggest problem after the screenplay.
Despite having relationships, conflicts and potentially emotional situations, Toxic rarely creates a strong connection between the characters and the audience.
There is plenty of style, violence and spectacle, but very little that makes you genuinely care about what is happening.
For a film of this scale, the absence of a strong emotional core becomes increasingly noticeable as the story progresses.
Climax
The climax attempts to provide a final punch and offers an interesting twist, but the execution doesn’t completely deliver the payoff the film needs.
By that point, the excessive runtime has already become a major factor, and the climax struggles to erase the problems that came before it.
It is not without merit, but it doesn’t provide the powerful conclusion the film promises.
Final Verdict
Toxic is ambitious, stylish and technically polished, but unfortunately, it lacks the emotional and narrative strength needed to make that ambition truly meaningful.
Yash is excellent in terms of screen presence and mass appeal. Kiara Advani delivers a strong performance, the action has its moments, and the cinematography and production design are genuinely impressive.
But the weak screenplay, uneven narration, excessive runtime, repetitive elevations and lack of emotional connection seriously affect the overall experience.
Geetu Mohandas had a huge opportunity with Yash, a massive canvas and a strong technical team. Unfortunately, the film often chooses spectacle over substance.
After waiting four years for Yash’s comeback, Toxic feels less like the explosive event it promised to be and more like a massive missed opportunity.
Toxic has the look of a blockbuster, the star power of a blockbuster, and some moments worthy of a blockbuster — but the storytelling simply isn’t strong enough to make the entire film work.
Cine Kolkata Verdict: 2/5 ⭐⭐
Worth watching for: Yash’s screen presence, stylish visuals, production design and selected action sequences.
Not for: Viewers expecting a tightly written, emotionally engaging and consistently gripping gangster drama.
