Shoot

While most productions would batten down the hatches during Mumbai’s punishing monsoon season, the makers of “Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-ups” are doing the opposite — leaning into the chaos with what’s being touted as one of Indian cinema’s most audacious action shoots to date.

At the eye of this creative storm is J.J. Perry, the Hollywood action architect behind the bone-crunching choreography of “John Wick” and “Fast & Furious.” The stunt veteran is currently deep into a 45-day action marathon that’s redefining the playbook for Indian cinema spectacle.

But here’s the kicker: Perry, who typically assembles international dream teams of stunt specialists, has gone fully local this time around — handpicking an entirely Indian crew after witnessing their chops firsthand.

“This Indian crew is world-class. That’s precisely why I chose to work with them,” Perry says. “We’re tackling a major sequence right now, and I’m super stoked about taking this on. It’s a challenge, but I love a great challenge — and this team is meeting it head-on. We’re here to push boundaries together — and that’s what filmmaking is.”

The high-octane sequence currently in production is the culmination of months of meticulous pre-production ballet between Perry, superstar Yash (who’s also producing), director Geetu Mohandas, VFX house DNEG, and producer Venkat K. Narayana. The Yash-Narayana combine has unlocked the massive war chest needed to mount one of the most Indian ambitious projects in recent memory.

The prep work reads like a masterclass in modern action filmmaking: extensive storyboarding, previz sessions, tactical rehearsals, and creative pow-wows aimed at creating an action language described by the production as “immersive, visceral, and new to Indian cinema.”

“Toxic” is positioning itself as a genre-bending spectacle that marries Perry’s globally-honed sensibilities with Yash’s box office magnetism and Mohandas’ distinctive auteur vision. Yash is white hot after the “K.G.F” franchise as is Mohandas, following Sundance title “Liar’s Dice” and Toronto selection “Moothon.” Yet beneath the pyrotechnics, the filmmakers are gunning for emotional resonance that transcends the visual fireworks.

“In my 35 years of doing this, I’ve worked in 39 countries. I’m a fan of Indian cinema — it’s creative, artistic, and bold,” Perry says. “Getting the chance to work with Yash, Geetu, Venkat and their incredible team has been a highlight. Geetu has great vision, and everyone from cinematographer Rajeev Ravi to the production designer and art team has been fantastic.”

The Mumbai shoot marks another industry first: “Toxic” is being lensed simultaneously in the Kannada and English languages — a bilingual approach that’s rare at this scale — with additional dubbed versions rolling out in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam. The strategy positions the film not just as a pan-Indian event but as a legitimate global play.

“India’s culture is ancient, rich, and layered. As an American whose culture is only a few hundred years old, coming here and blending global cinematic grammar with Indian storytelling has been very exciting,” Perry notes. “I don’t just want to replicate what’s been done — I want to create something unique. And ‘Toxic’ is giving me that chance.”

Jointly bankrolled by Venkat K. Narayana and Yash under KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations, “Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-ups” is targeting a worldwide theatrical rollout on March 19, 2026.