A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups has become at the center of a new online storm since a rating of its audience on BookMyShow was said to no longer appear. And just one day after the film opened and with a split response from the movie’s audience, people on social media get up in arms.
Toxic opened on August 26 with great fanfare headed by Geetu Mohandas. Yash's reappearance on the big screen after nearly four years of absence was a big deal. The early bookings and fanfare were a great commercial launch. The film has done so well so far in box office and early reviews have been mixed.
The BookMyShow rating has now been removed from the release-day talk.
What happened to the Toxic rating?
Some social media users claimed that the audience rating for Toxic, which was around 5.5/10 at one point, was no longer visible on BookMyShow. Screenshots and posts circulated across social platforms, with users wondering why the rating had supposedly been disabled.
The development was also observed by media outlets checking the ticket-booking platform. Moneycontrol said the rating was not visible for Toxic while ratings for other movies were available. But how did it disappear?
Such a distinction is important because there has been no confirmed statement from BookMyShow, Yash, the film producers or the director as to why the rating was missing. Social media speculation that the rating was deliberately removed because of negative audience feedback is still unverified.
But fans and critics have been interested in what is happening and the disappearance of the rating.
Mixed response to Yash’s Film.
Toxic has got a mixed response since its release. Yash’s presence and performance have been hailed by some audience but screenplay, execution and some aspects of the film’s narrative have been criticized.
Some early reactions have compared the film’s presentation with Yash’s previous blockbuster KGF, with viewers suggesting that Toxic contains elements of what they called a “KGF hangover.”
The split reaction is rather interesting considering that the film's commercial performance has been good. Toxic crossed ₹100 crore on its opening day, showing that a lot of audience interest translated into ticket sales despite the polarising word-of-mouth.
The difference between the strong box office demand and mixed audience assessment is one of the most defining talking points surrounding the movie’s release.
Social Media Speculation Intensifies
As soon as the rating disappeared, social media users began to give their own explanations. The film’s makers or a promotional team were attempting to squash negative feedback, and others criticized BookMyShow itself.
There have also been unconfirmed claims linking the alleged rating change to Yash's PR machinery. But these claims have not been independently established and no official confirmation has been provided by the actor, production houses or BookMyShow.
So the debate is still about what users can see— or no longer see— on the platform instead of any explanation for it at all.
Even so, a good start for us to start the debate.
The controversy hasn’t stopped Toxic from generating enormous theatrical momentum. Ticket sales at BookMyShow were so strong before release day for the film, BookMyShow even reported high ticket-booking activity ahead of release day. After word of mouth, the movie kept drawing huge crowds.
The strong opening is emblematic of Yash's huge fan base and the excitement at Yash's first major release since KGF: Chapter 2. Fan celebrations in Bengaluru have also highlighted the star's huge fan base and the response at screenings has been positive.
At the same time, Toxic’s long-term performance will be determined less by advance bookings and more by audience reactions over the coming days.
For now, the disappearance of the BookMyShow rating has become a story in itself, adding another controversy to a film already generating intense discussion over its content, performances and filmmaking style.
Until BookMyShow or the movie’s makers give an official explanation, claims about why the rating disappeared should be treated cautiously. But Toxic has become one of the most talked-about Indian films of the week, both in terms of box office performance and the debate surrounding its audience reception.
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