The new teaser of Yash-starrer "Toxic" that was dropped on Friday caught many by surprise. The main reason? The two (or three?) different looks of Yash hint at the possibility that the actor may be playing father and son in different eras. The USP seems to be the father-son conflict. The ending of the teaser introduces us to a clean-shaven Yash with a different haircut, while the preceding portions show him sporting the iconic beard, similar to the one in "KGF". This contrast fuels speculation that Yash may be portraying not just father and son, but also the protagonist and antagonist.
A gangster epic directed by Geetu Mohandas, "Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups" has Yash involved in the capacity of a producer and creative contributor. It is set for release on March 19.
Meanwhile, the trailer for another crime epic, "Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man", sees Cillian Murphy returning as one of television's most-loved gangsters, Tommy Shelby. It finds him struggling to deal with the repercussions of his past action The once-powerful gangster is now broken, lonely... He has retreated into a "purgatory" supposedly of his own making, disconnected from both the world and his family. We see a mysterious character, played by Rebecca Ferguson, telling him, "You abandoned your kingdom. And you abandoned your son."
Tommy’s son, Duke Shelby, is introduced as a key figure in the new "Peaky Blinders" story. Played by Barry Keoghan, Duke is the illegitimate heir to Tommy’s criminal empire, introduced in Season 6 of "Peaky Blinders". Seven years later, Duke is now running the Peaky Blinders in a way that recalls Tommy Shelby’s younger days. But Duke seems to be the complete opposite of his father — is he angry and disillusioned? In the trailer of "The Immortal Man", Duke says, “The world don’t give a f*** about me, and I don’t give a f*** about the world.” This strong bitterness caused by his father’s absence and the harsh circumstances of World War-II are fodder for new challenges and conflicts for Tommy Shelby and everyone else in their world.
Just like in "Toxic", a father-son conflict seems to be driving the story of "The Immortal Man", with Tommy’s neglect of Duke creating a rift that may be impossible to mend. Duke’s rebellion and feelings of abandonment are seemingly setting the stage for a tense and emotional power struggle between them.
The only difference between "Toxic" and "The Immortal Man" is, of course, in the casting of the actors playing the parent and child.
"The Immortal Man" will be available to global audiences on Netflix on March 20, a day after "Toxic" hits theatres.
