Yash’s ‘Toxic’ Faces New Controversy Over Missing BookMyShow Rating
Yash’s highly anticipated Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups has generated major attention since arriving in cinemas on August 26, 2026. But alongside its strong theatrical opening, the Geetu Mohandas-directed film is now facing an unexpected controversy involving online audience ratings.
Moviegoers and social-media users noticed that the audience score for Toxic was apparently no longer being displayed on BookMyShow. Screenshots shared online purported to show that the movie had earlier been listed with a rating of roughly 5.5 out of 10, while later views of the listing showed the number of likes without the audience score. Moneycontrol also reported checking the platform and finding the rating unavailable at that time.
The development quickly became a major talking point because it occurred while the film was receiving sharply divided reactions online.
What Happened to the ‘Toxic’ BookMyShow Rating?
Social-media discussions intensified after users began sharing before-and-after screenshots of the film's listing.
One widely circulated comparison appeared to show a rating of approximately 5.5/10 before the score became unavailable. Users also pointed out that ratings for some other films remained visible, adding to questions surrounding the change.
However, an important distinction needs to be made: the disappearance of the rating has been reported, but the reason behind it has not been officially established.
At the time of reporting, there was no confirmed evidence demonstrating that Yash, his team or the producers requested that the rating be removed. Reports also noted that BookMyShow had not publicly provided a definitive explanation for the change.
Interestingly, a BookMyShow page indexed shortly before the controversy showed Toxic with a 5.7/10 score from more than 16,000 votes, illustrating how quickly the visible presentation of the film's audience response appears to have changed.
Social Media Speculation Targets Film’s PR Team
The lack of an immediate explanation created room for speculation.
Some users alleged that the rating might have been disabled because of negative audience feedback, while others went further and accused the film's promotional machinery of attempting to control the narrative surrounding its reception.
Those allegations, however, remain unverified social-media claims.
There is currently no established evidence showing that Yash's PR team or the producers were responsible for the rating becoming unavailable. Reporting the distinction is particularly important because online speculation can quickly turn into accepted “fact” when repeated across social platforms.
Strong Box Office, Divided Audience Response
The controversy is especially notable because it contrasts with the film's powerful commercial start.
Despite criticism from sections of viewers, Toxic crossed the ₹100-crore mark on its opening day. The Indian Express reported a worldwide opening-day gross of approximately ₹140.75 crore, making the film one of the biggest Indian openings of 2026.
That contrast — a blockbuster opening alongside polarised audience reactions — has become one of the central stories surrounding the film.
Some viewers have praised Yash's screen presence, action sequences and visual presentation. Others have criticised aspects of the screenplay, storytelling and violence.
The situation demonstrates that box-office performance and audience satisfaction do not always move together, particularly during the opening days of a heavily promoted film.
Why the Missing Rating Matters
Audience ratings on ticket-booking and entertainment platforms increasingly influence moviegoing decisions.
Unlike traditional reviews written by professional critics, these scores are often viewed by consumers as a quick indication of broader public sentiment. A prominent rating can therefore influence whether someone books a ticket, waits for streaming, or skips a film altogether.
That makes transparency around changes to rating systems important.
The controversy surrounding Toxic is consequently bigger than whether one film received a high or low score. It raises broader questions about how audience-generated ratings are displayed, when they can be disabled or modified, and whether platforms should explain significant changes when thousands of users have already voted.
Without an official explanation, however, claims about deliberate manipulation should be treated as speculation rather than fact.
About ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups’
Directed by Geetu Mohandas and written by Mohandas and Yash, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is a period action-crime thriller set against the backdrop of Goa before its liberation from Portuguese rule.
Yash plays Raya, a character navigating a world shaped by power, violence, betrayal, loyalty and moral conflict.
The ensemble cast includes Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria and Rukmini Vasanth, among others. The film has been backed by KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations.
The Bigger Picture: Online Ratings and Movie Marketing
The Toxic episode highlights the increasingly complicated relationship between film marketing, social media and audience-generated reviews.
For major releases, the first few hours after opening can shape the entire public conversation. Box-office numbers, viral clips, audience reviews, influencer reactions and rating scores are circulated almost instantly.
This environment can amplify genuine word of mouth, but it can also encourage fan wars, organised campaigns and unsupported accusations.
For platforms hosting audience ratings, maintaining clear and consistently applied policies becomes increasingly important. For filmmakers, meanwhile, the episode demonstrates how difficult it has become to control the conversation around a movie once audiences begin responding publicly.
What Happens Next?
Whether the controversy develops further will largely depend on whether BookMyShow or the film's representatives provide an explanation.
Until then, two facts should remain separate: users and news outlets observed that the audience rating became unavailable, while allegations about why it disappeared remain unproven.
For Toxic, the debate has added yet another dimension to an already high-profile release — one that is simultaneously generating major box-office business and intense discussion over its audience reception.
This article is based on reporting published by Times Entertainment by TOI.
