Yash starrer Toxic is now targeting an Independence Day release after multiple postponements. The highly anticipated action thriller was originally scheduled to hit screens in March, but unpredictable situations overseas forced the team to put the release on hold until they could find an appropriate date. Now, the makers seem to have locked the big August holiday weekend, but this shift comes with a massive set of challenges in the Hindi markets.
Toxic was earlier postponed to avoid a clash with Dhurandhar 2, and then it was pushed further to avoid clashing with Varun Dhawan’s Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, but it seems the film just cannot escape box office fights as it is walking right into another one. Toxic will be going head to head with Sunny Deol’s Batwara 1947 and Emraan Hashmi’s Awarapan 2, both of which will likely be the first choice for the Hindi speaking audience.
Family audiences will prefer Sunny Deol’s film, while Awarapan 2 will naturally pull the younger crowd due to its music album. Toxic is neither a family film nor a song oriented drama, so attracting Hindi audience will be difficult for it.
Beyond the tough competition, the continuous delays have severely damaged the movie’s public image. Regular moviegoers are beginning to think that the project is weak or facing major creative issues, which is why the makers kept delaying it. Turning this negative perception around while fighting two major Bollywood movies will be a very tough task for the team.
