14 February,2026 08:21 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
L-Dil Raju; R- Yash
Yash-starrer Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups is one of the most highly anticipated films of the year. Recently, it was announced that Dil Raju's Sri Venkateswara Creations (SVC) has acquired the distribution rights of the film in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for a whopping Rs 120 crore. The announcement was met with scepticism, with some even terming it a publicity stunt. The producer has now strongly reacted to the doubts.
Dil Raju was promoting his upcoming production Markandeya, where a reporter remarked, "I don't know whether to call you Dil Raju or Dare Raju, sir." To this, Raju smiled and said he could be called by whichever name. The reporter further said, "Nobody would dare to invest â¹120 crore to distribute a film as you've done for Toxic. A lot of people are shocked by it."
The producer replied, "I am ready for whatever you say."
Another reporter added, "People think it's a publicity stunt to announce the figure."
Calmly responding to the queries, Raju said, "Let me do one thing. For those who are doubtful, once I transfer the money, I will share my bank statement. Maybe people will believe me then."
Sri Venkateswara Creations (SVC), led by Dil Raju, has acquired the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana distribution rights for a staggering Rs 120 crore (advance on a commission basis), officially marking it as the biggest acquisition ever for a non-Telugu origin film. The landmark deal between the makers of Toxic (KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations) and SVC further cements the film as one of the most anticipated cinematic spectacles, underlining the extraordinary confidence the trade has in its scale, appeal, and box-office potential. With three major contenders aggressively vying for the AP-TG rights, SVC ultimately emerged victorious, sealing what is now being hailed as one of the most defining distribution deals in recent Indian cinema.
Dil Raju of Sri Venkateswara Creations said, "Yash stands as a formidable titan of Indian cinema, and post KGF 2, his market has only grown stronger across the world. The audience's anticipation for his next film after KGF 2 has been building for a while now. With a four-year wait, the buzz and expectations around this film are massive. We at SVC are stoked to present this prestigious project and hope to continue collaborating with Yash on many more films."
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.
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.
