Sometimes, waiting for a bigger deal can turn into an expensive gamble. Yash’s Toxic appears to be facing that situation on the OTT front. The film reportedly had a Rs 150 crore digital offer before its theatrical release. But the makers turned it down, hoping a successful box-office run would help them secure a much bigger deal after release.
However, the film’s disappointing theatrical performance appears to have changed the equation. Following its release, ZEE5 reportedly struck a Rs 30 crore deal with the Toxic team. However the payment terms come with a catch. Only Rs 15 crore is reportedly guaranteed upfront and the remaining 15 crore depends on pay-per-view revenue.
The contrast between the two offers is hard to ignore. The makers reportedly expected the film’s theatrical performance to strengthen its market value, but the response at the box office seems to have weakened their bargaining position. An offer that once appeared too low may now look very different against the terms of the latest reported deal.
The bigger concern is that the Rs 30 crore figure does not represent entirely assured revenue. While Rs 15 crore is reportedly guaranteed, collecting the balance depends on how many viewers pay to watch the film digitally. For a film carrying Yash’s star power and mounted on a massive budget, that leaves a significant part of the proposed deal uncertain.
For big-budget films securing a strong OTT deal before release can provide financial certainty, waiting for a better offer based on anticipated theatrical success carries its own risks. If the reported figures are accurate, Toxic’s situation shows how delaying a digital deal can backfire when the box-office response falls short of expectations.
