Toxic continues its unprecedented pre-release march across global and domestic markets, tightening its grip on the Indian theatrical landscape with yet another decisive power move. In a major development that significantly reaffirms the film’s pan-India ambitions, AA Films — one of India’s most influential and battle-tested distribution banners — has acquired the theatrical distribution rights for Yash’s Toxic across North India and Nepal, further fortifying the film’s national footprint beyond the southern markets.
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Join Telegram ChannelThis strategic alliance marks a reunion of sorts, as AA Films joins forces with Yash after successfully distributing KGF: Chapter 1 and KGF: Chapter 2 — two films that didn’t just break box-office records but redefined the very grammar of pan-India cinema. With Toxic, the partnership now scales even greater heights, powered by trust, legacy, and a shared vision of event cinema.
The partnership between Rocking Star Yash and Anil Thadani is rooted in a shared history of success. Their collaboration dates back to the original KGF, where they worked in close synergy to pioneer the film’s pan-India strategy. This landmark association redefined regional cinema’s reach and served as a pivotal turning point for the Indian film industry.
The acquisition comes on the back of a staggering series of pre-release milestones. Toxic earlier made history by becoming the first non-Telugu film to secure a landmark distribution deal with Sri Venkateswara Creations in the AP–TG market, followed by a massive overseas acquisition by Phars Film for its Indian-language versions — ranking among the highest overseas deals ever secured for an Indian film. With AA Films now steering the film across the Hindi belt, North India, and Nepal, Toxic is assembling a distribution architecture as ambitious and expansive as its cinematic universe.
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At the helm of this alliance is Anil Thadani, Founder of AA Films — one of the most experienced, influential, and respected distributors in Indian cinema today. A long-time associate and trusted industry force, Thadani brings with him decades of unmatched expertise, having navigated the business from grassroots single screens to elite multiplex circuits, with a deep, instinctive understanding of audience psychology across geographies.
Widely regarded as a pioneer who bridged industries long before “pan-India” became a buzzword, Anil Thadani has been instrumental in taking some of Indian cinema’s most culturally defining blockbusters to a national audience. His formidable track record includes landmark titles such as Baahubali, KGF, Pushpa, Kantara, and Kalki — films that shattered language barriers and rewrote box-office history — alongside several massively successful Hindi tentpoles.
Confirming the acquisition, Anil Thadani, Founder of AA Films, said:
“Toxic is a cinematic world built with rare ambition, conviction, and a goal to bridge Indian and international sensibilities. From the moment we engaged with the material, it was clear that this is a film designed for the big screen, with a scale of visuals, depth of storytelling, and technical finesse that Indian audiences across markets are hungry for today. Yash has consistently elevated the idea of a pan-India star, and with Toxic, he pushes that envelope even further by stepping into a space that feels both rooted and globally resonant. The team behind the film — its technicians, creative collaborators, and artists — are operating at a world-class level, and the vision is uncompromising. At AA Films, we believe in backing films that have the potential to deliver landmark theatrical experiences, and Toxic has all the inner workings of one. We are proud to bring this film to audiences across North India and Nepal.”
Venkat K. Narayana, Producer, KVN Productions, said:
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“At KVN Productions, we approach cinema with the same seriousness, structure, and long-term vision that one would bring to any institution-building exercise. Toxic is a massive pan-Indian cinematic proposition that demands scale, discipline, and an exceptional distribution backbone. In Anil Thadani and AA Films, we have partnered with someone who understands this responsibility at a fundamental level. Anil Thadani is one of the key architects of the pan-India movement. Long before the industry began speaking the language of nationwide cinema, he was already bridging regions, markets, and audiences through landmark films. His ability to balance ground-level market intelligence with elite national showcasing makes him uniquely positioned to take a film like Toxic to audiences across North India and Nepal. Toxic represents the future of Indian cinema: content-led, technically uncompromising, culturally rooted, yet globally resonant. With AA Films sharing this journey with us, we believe the film will reinstate what Indian stories can achieve when backed by the right vision and infrastructure.”
Written by Yash and Geetu Mohandas and directed by Geetu Mohandas, Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups has been simultaneously shot in Kannada and English, with dubbed versions planned in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and several other languages, underscoring the film’s global ambition.
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The film boasts a formidable technical lineup, with National Award-winning cinematographer Rajeev Ravi behind the lens; music composed by Ravi Basrur; editing by Ujwal Kulkarni; and production design by TP Abid. The action sequences are mounted on a grand scale, choreographed by Hollywood action director JJ Perry (John Wick), alongside National Award-winning action directors Anbariv and Kecha Khamphakdee.
Produced by Venkat K. Narayana and Yash under the banners of KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations, Toxic is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on 19 March 2026, strategically coinciding with Eid, Ugadi, and Gudi Padwa — firmly cementing its status as a high-stakes, cross-cultural cinematic event.
