Toxic OTT Rights Offer Falls to Rs 30 Crore After Box Office Setback as Yash Had Expected Over Rs 200 Crore
Yash-starrer Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups is facing another setback after its theatrical performance failed to meet expectations, with reports saying its post-theatrical OTT rights remain unsold. The film, which was initially expected to command a digital deal of more than Rs 200 crore, is now reportedly attracting offers as low as Rs 30 crore.
Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas and starring Yash, Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria, Huma Qureshi and Rukmini Vasanth, released in theatres on August 26. Despite a strong opening, the film saw a sharp decline in collections after its first few days.
OTT Valuation Drops Sharply
According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, the Toxic team had previously received an offer of around Rs 150 crore from a leading streaming platform. The makers reportedly rejected that offer because they were seeking more than Rs 200 crore for the digital rights.
A source quoted by the publication said, ‘The Toxic team had an offer of Rs. 150 crores from a leading platform, but the demand from the team was a lot higher, north of Rs. 200 crores. Yash was confident that the film would do blockbuster business in theatres, and that in turn, would boost the post-theatrical OTT prices to Rs. 200 crore plus.’
The source added, ‘But the results are exactly opposite, as the digital players are now offering an amount as low as Rs. 30 crore for the post-theatrical streaming rights for all languages. The biggest offer has come from Zee 5.’
The reported gap between the original asking price and the latest offer is substantial. The makers were looking for more than Rs 200 crore, while the highest reported offer has now fallen to around Rs 30 crore.
Toxic Struggles After Strong Opening
Toxic opened strongly at the Indian box office, but its earnings dropped considerably as the theatrical run continued. The film has crossed the Rs 300 crore mark worldwide, but its performance remains below the expectations attached to its reported production cost and pre-release scale.
Indian Express reported that the film’s estimated budget is around Rs 500 crore and that the makers could face losses of about Rs 300 crore. The digital rights have not been finalised, adding another challenge to the film’s overall recovery.
According to India Today, Toxic had collected Rs 337.80 crore worldwide as of September 7. The report noted that the film crossed the Rs 300 crore worldwide mark in 13 days, but its overall performance was considered underwhelming for a production of its scale.
Zee5 Reportedly Makes the Highest Offer
Zee5 is reportedly the platform that has made the highest offer so far for Toxic’s post-theatrical streaming rights. The reported Rs 30 crore offer covers the digital rights across languages.
Other streaming platforms have reportedly not matched the amount initially expected by the makers. The decline in the film’s theatrical performance has affected its perceived value in the digital market.
The situation is significant because the team had reportedly turned down an earlier Rs 150 crore offer while expecting the film’s theatrical success to push the OTT valuation beyond Rs 200 crore.
Makers Consider a New OTT Cut
The makers are reportedly considering creating a separate edit of Toxic for its digital release. The idea is to make changes to the film before its OTT premiere in the hope of improving its appeal and securing a better deal.
Bollywood Hungama reported that discussions are underway over the proposed new cut. However, there has been no official confirmation from the makers regarding the changes or whether the revised version will be released on a streaming platform.
The film’s satellite rights could also provide limited recovery. Reports suggest that its adult-oriented storytelling may make the television rights less valuable than initially expected.
Theatrical Run Affects Digital Prospects
Toxic had generated substantial expectations before release because of Yash’s popularity following the KGF franchise. The film was also backed by a large ensemble cast and directed by Geetu Mohandas, but its theatrical response did not sustain the level of business expected by the makers.
Indian Express reported that the film’s digital rights remain unsold despite the latest offers. The publication also reported that the makers are facing the possibility of a major financial loss after the film’s box office performance fell short of expectations.
As of September 7, Toxic’s OTT rights have reportedly not been finalised. The highest reported offer stands at around Rs 30 crore from Zee5, while the makers are considering a new digital edit in an attempt to improve the film’s post-theatrical prospects.