- Saturday, April 12, 2025
By: Vibhuti Pathak
Akshay Kumar has finally reacted to veteran actress and MP Jaya Bachchan’s sharp criticism of his 2017 film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. While speaking at a promotional event for his upcoming historical drama Kesari: Chapter 2, Akshay maintained a calm and respectful tone, addressing the controversy without fueling it.
When asked about Jaya Bachchan’s recent remarks at the India TV Conclave, where she expressed strong disapproval of the film’s title and even called it a flop, Akshay said, “If she has said so, she is right. If I had made a mistake by making such a film, she might be right.”
Jaya Bachchan, known for her candid opinions, had mocked the film’s title during her stage appearance, stating, “Just look at the title of the film. I would never go to watch a film with such a name. Yeh koi naam hai?” She also polled the audience, asking if they would watch a movie titled Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. When only a few hands were raised, she quipped, “Among so many people, hardly four people want to watch the film; it’s very sad. Yeh toh flop hai.”
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Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, however, was far from a flop. The film tackled a critical social issue — lack of sanitation and open defecation in rural India — through a unique love story. Akshay Kumar portrayed Keshav, a man whose wife (played by Bhumi Pednekar) leaves him because his house lacks a toilet. The film follows his battle against regressive traditions and his mission to construct a toilet to win her back. It was both a box-office hit and a part of India’s national sanitation movement, even earning praise from government authorities.
Besides Akshay and Bhumi, the film featured a strong supporting cast, including Anupam Kher, Divyenndu, Sudhir Pandey, and Ayesha Raza Mishra. It was produced under the banner of Viacom18 Motion Pictures and Neeraj Pandey’s Friday Filmworks.
Akshay Kumar is currently promoting Kesari: Chapter 2, a historical courtroom drama based on Raghu and Pushpa Palat’s book The Case That Shook The Empire. The film explores the events following the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the legal battle for justice led by C Sankaran Nair, a former President of the Indian National Congress. Directed by Anurag Singh, the sequel is set to release on April 18, 2025.
While Akshay has taken the high road in responding to the criticism, his subtle response suggests he remains confident in the message and impact of Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. Whether or not the title was palatable to all, the film undeniably sparked conversation and contributed to meaningful discourse on rural sanitation.
