India, March 6 -- On Wednesday, barely two weeks before it was set to release in theatres, Kannada film Toxic was pushed back to June. The makers announced they were postponing the release due to the 'uncertainty in the Middle East', a reference to the conflict between Iran, Israel, and the US. The Middle East is a big market for Indian films, and hence, Toxic's postponement makes business sense. But Dhurandhar 2, which is also slated for release on the same day, is committed to the date.

In February, the US and Israel launched a joint missile strike on Iran, killing their Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliatory strikes, Iran targeted American bases across the Middle East, as well as military targets in Israel. This led to ...