08 January,2026 09:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Geetu Mohandas and Yash
Rocking Star Yash surprised fans and the film fraternity on his birthday by unveiling a striking, no-warning tease from Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups. Released alongside the tease, writer-director Geetu Mohandas shared a birthday note for Yash - offering insight into his creative process, discipline, and the collaborative foundation of the film.
In her birthday note, Geetu Mohandas wrote, "A rare fusion of talent and superstardom is a formidable combination. I am immensely proud of Yash, not just for the performance of Raya the world will see, but for the discipline, and heart he brought to our film every single day. This is not just a role he performed; it is a chapter he carved into his own artistic legacy. He questioned, challenged, explored, and surrendered, always in service of the story when truth meets art."
She continued, "Through our collaboration, I discovered not just the depths of storytelling, but also a producer who supported me throughout and made this journey profoundly meaningful. In the whirlwind of his fame, it's easy to overlook the depth beneath the surface. My wish is that his future directors will dare to explore the vast potential of brilliance he brings to his craft. Our journey together was built on faith, long conversations and a shared belief in something bigger than either of us. I feel grateful for the trust, artistry and above all the friendship we share. He will stay with me long after the cameras stop rolling. Happy birthday Yash."
The tease arrives without preamble and immediately establishes its tone. Instead of a celebratory glimpse, it delivers a bold cinematic statement - one that reinforces Yash's pursuit of global-scale storytelling and visual ambition.
Set within a cemetery engulfed in flames, the tease opens with gunfire cutting through silence. Smoke fills the frame, bodies scatter, and through the chaos emerges Raya - controlled, lethal, and composed. Armed with a tommy gun, Yash commands the frame in a never-before-seen avatar. With the line "Daddy's home," he signals a shift in power, asserting Raya's dominance within this violent landscape.
Written by Yash and Geetu Mohandas and directed by 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 its international scope. The film also stars Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth, and Tara Sutaria. It is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 19 March 2026, coinciding with Eid, Ugadi, and Gudi Padwa.
