Toxic (2026)

A good chunk of Toxic’s 192 minutes is people saying cool things very slowly. Geetu Mohandas builds a gorgeous Portuguese-era Goa, all period costumes and enormous sets, then strings it together like trailers that never become a story. Yash plays Raya, who is raised by his fierce older sister Ganga and rises fast in crime boss Salvador Almeida’s operation, and the film can’t decide whether it’s a gangster epic, a doomed romance or a psychological thriller. It tries all three and commits to none. The violence is constant and numbing. There are flashes of something wild, like assassins disguised as clowns ambushing Raya at a circus, which is where he meets Kiara Advani’s Nadia, a performer and the film’s best surprise. Yash has the swagger, and the big late twist is a genuine swing, even if it gets explained to death. It holds a 21% on Rotten Tomatoes. A 2.7 because a fortune in style can’t buy a reason to care. $93.19 says you check the clock at the interval and do the math on how much movie is left.

What works: The period sets, costumes and camerawork are lavish, and Kiara Advani and Yash bring real presence to their scenes.

What doesn’t: The screenplay is scattered across too many genres, the pacing crawls in slow motion, and the endless violence never earns its weight.

Who it’s for: Diehard Yash fans who’ll forgive a lot for swagger and scale. Grown-ups only.