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Toxic surpasses ‘Dhurandhar 2’ to claim no.1 spot on IMDb’s Most Awaited Charts with massive 32.4% lead

Toxic is rapidly emerging as one of the most talked-about upcoming releases in Indian cinema. The growing online frenzy suggests that audience anticipation has moved well beyond early curiosity and into full-blown excitement.
February 14, 2026 / 08:38 IST
Toxic tops IMDb list
Snapshot AI
  • Toxic tops IMDb's Most Anticipated Indian Movies chart at 32.4%
  • Film lands Rs 120 crore AP-TG distribution deal, a non-Telugu first
  • Indian language overseas rights sold for Rs 105 crore

The excitement around Toxic isn’t just industry chatter anymore — it’s turning into a full-blown wave of audience anticipation.

According to IMDb’s real-time popularity tracker, Toxic has climbed to the No. 1 spot on the platform’s “Most Anticipated Indian Movies and Shows” chart, commanding an impressive 32.4% share of audience interest. That’s a significant lead over its closest competitor, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which currently stands at 19.9%. The gap says a lot — this isn’t just mild curiosity; it’s strong, sustained buzz.

What makes this even more interesting is how IMDb rankings work. They’re driven by real user activity and page views, meaning the surge reflects genuine public interest. Nearly one-third of tracked engagement focusing on one title signals something powerful is brewing. The film’s intense promotional material, striking visuals, and the magnetic presence of Yash seem to be striking the right chord with fans.

For the industry, this kind of online traction often acts as an early barometer for box office performance. With reports pointing to a release around March 19, expectations are steadily rising. If the momentum holds, Toxic could easily emerge as one of the biggest openers of the season.

The buzz isn’t limited to digital platforms. From the very beginning, the Yash-starrer has been making bold moves. It became the first non-Telugu film to secure a massive Rs 120 crore distribution deal in the AP–TG market with Dil Raju’s banner Sri Venkateswara Creations — a development that genuinely surprised trade analysts. Deals of that scale are usually reserved for established regional giants, so this was seen as a strong vote of confidence in both the film and its star.

On the international front, the film’s overseas rights have been acquired by Phars Film, one of the leading global distributors for Indian cinema. The reported Rs 105 crore advance (on a commission basis) marks one of the largest overseas acquisitions for an Indian film. That kind of investment reflects serious belief in the film’s global pull.

Also Read: Christian group raises concerns over religious imagery in Yash’s Toxic ahead of its March release

Interestingly, this overseas deal covers only the Indian-language versions — Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam — and not the English version.

Even without factoring in an English-language release, the numbers are already substantial, underlining how strong the demand is for the film’s core Indian-language audience abroad.

Palak Vij
Palak Vij is a Sub Editor and Entertainment Journalist with over a year of experience covering films, television, and pop culture in the digital space.
first published: Feb 14, 2026 08:38 am

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