Akshay Kumar Responds to Jaya Bachchan’s Remark on Toilet: Ek Prem Katha

Nearly a month after veteran actress and Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan mocked the title of Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has finally addressed the controversy.

During a recent public event, Jaya Bachchan expressed her distaste for the title of the 2017 film, calling it a “flop” and stating that she would never watch a film with such a name. Her comment sparked backlash from netizens who were quick to defend the film, pointing out that Toilet: Ek Prem Katha was both a critical and commercial success. The movie tackled important issues such as sanitation awareness and open defecation in India—topics that had rarely been addressed so directly in mainstream cinema.

At a promotional event for his upcoming film Kesari Chapter 2, Akshay Kumar was asked how he felt about such criticism, particularly from industry insiders. The actor responded confidently, saying:

“Critisising, mujhe nahi lagta hai kisi ne criticise kiya hai woh filmon ko. Koi bewakoof hi hoga jo criticise karega jaisi film banayi hai maine, Pad Man banayi hai. Aap hi bata dijiye, jaise Toilet: Ek Prem Katha hai, Airlift hai, Kesari 1 banayi thi, Kesari 2 hai. Aisi bohot saari filmein hain, toh koi bewakoof hi hoga jo iss filmon ko criticise karega. Aur maine apne dil se banayi hai. Aur ek film hai jo ki logo ko bohot saari cheezein batati hai, samjhati hai, koi bhi film ho. Toh mujhe nahi lagta kisi ne criticise kiya hai.”

When asked specifically about Jaya Bachchan’s viral statement, Akshay chose a respectful tone in his response, stating:

“Ab agar unhone kaha hai toh phir sahi hoga, mujhe nahi pata. Agar Toilet: Ek Prem Katha ek aisi film banake maine koi galat kaam kiya hai toh phir, agar woh keh rahi hain toh sahi hoga.”

The actor’s calm and composed reply has earned him praise from fans who appreciated his dignified stance in the face of criticism. Many have reiterated the significance of Toilet: Ek Prem Katha as a socially impactful film that brought much-needed attention to critical public health issues.

As the conversation around content-driven cinema continues, Akshay Kumar's remarks serve as a reminder of the responsibility filmmakers take on when they choose to tackle real-life issues through storytelling.