Showing posts with label Toilet Ek Prem Katha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toilet Ek Prem Katha. Show all posts
Toilet: Ek Prem Katha | Film Review
There are times when 'experiencing' a film may require watching it twice. I usually prefer watching some films at a multiplex and then, at a single screen (preferably one show with the family. Their reactions are always real and priceless). However, with just a few single screen cinemas remaining, it is not always possible to get tickets, as they sell out faster than a hot & crispy vada pav. But, as luck would have it, I got my tickets well in advance this time. Needless to say, my decision to watch this week's much anticipated release - Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, with the 'super cinephiles' of single screen cinema, was a terrific one. Watching the film amidst constant 'seetis', cheers and applause for Akshay Kumar's strong stand against open defecation, made for quite an experience. Something that a real cinephile at heart will always enjoy. That, apart from the joy of watching of a well made, entertaining film, where even the audience was happy to wait back right till the end of credits (a rare scene in today's times).
Shree Narayan Singh's second directorial venture focuses on an important issue, that of open defecation and the non-availability of toilets in most households. The lead protagonist - Keshav (Kumar) is a middle aged guy, who lives in a village called Mandgaon. Despite repeated attempts (and affairs), Keshav is unable to get married, thanks to a few compulsions set by his orthodox father (Sudhir Pandey - brilliant as always). First, Keshav must tie the knot with a cow to get rid of his dosha, and next, hunt for a girl who has two thumbs (insert regular 'Hrithik Roshan' puns). While on the hunt, he meets and falls in love with a feisty, educated young girl - Jaya (Pednekar). Some initial hurdles (and a few 'jugaads' later), the two get married. However, things go haywire the very next day, as Jaya finds out that her 'sasural' does not have a toilet, and Babuji isn't too keen on building one either. That's where the struggle begins, as Keshav and Jaya fight against all odds (including superstitions) for their right to basic sanitation.
Watching the film amidst constant 'seetis', cheers and applause for Akshay Kumar's strong stand against open defecation, made for quite an experience
TEPK is real, raw and supremely entertaining. While the basic premise is a social issue (and also centres around PM Modi's Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan), there is not a single moment where the film loses out on the entertainment factor. It wonderfully blends the two aspects together, and delivers a strong message, without being too preachy. Though, one may find a few hiccups during the second half, they don't really appear as flaws. The high points, especially performances and superb writing, pretty much covers up for everything else.
While the music is average, it fits in to the narrative pretty well. 'Gori Tu Lath Maar' has been shot beautifully. Surinder Sodhi's background score is decent. Siddharth - Garima's writing is deft, and is certainly one of the biggest highlight of this film. Dialogues are superb, most of which even earn whistles and cheers. It has a great melange of humour, romance and drama, and a sprinkle of culture, thanks to sanskrit shlokas. Singh's direction is slick, and it is impossible to ignore the detailing that has gone behind even the most simple aspects. For e.g: Keshav's street-side fashion dupes that range from Naik (Nike) to Uima (Puma) or the fake Ray-Ban. Each and every detail has been designed or incorporated keeping the surroundings in mind, which is laudable.
Dialogues are superb, most of which even earn whistles and cheers. It has a great melange of humour, romance and drama
The lead pair and ensemble cast are the real heart of this social - drama. Casting is fantastic, with artists like Divyendu, Sudhir Pandey, Anupam Kher among others adding life to their respective characters with a flawless act. Divyendu has an impeccable comic timing, and the audience erupts in laughter, every time he comes on screen. Pandey as the strict and orthodox Babuji is brilliant.
Despite the film being her second outing, Bhumi Pednekar shines with an outstanding act. With the perfect body language, nuances and fabulous dialogue delivery, she breathes life into Jaya. She does not make the character look caricaturish. Jaya is relatable and real. Pednekar 's natural act (and look) is one of the strongest highlights in the film. It is impossible for anyone to believe that the actress is just one film old. There are portions where she outshines all the veterans around her. That's the mark of a talented artist, and with this flawless performance, Pednekar has proved that she is here to stay.
Akshay Kumar is one of the very few actors who has managed to excel in different genres and has shown excellent range in all his films. There is no doubt that the actor is incredibly versatile. Film after film, he has raised the bar and taken things a notch above with his brilliant performance and vision. TEPK is no different. Kumar's portrayal of Keshav creates a strong impact. He starts off as a regular, confused local guy (with some serious stalking skills), but as the film progresses, the character grows into someone on a mission. Keshav's boy to man journey has been flawlessly essayed by Kumar. His chemistry with Pednekar's Jaya is fabulous, which is another strong highlight of the film.
Singh's Toilet: Ek Prem Katha is an important film of our times. It explores a love story, against the backdrop of several dark issues that the people of our country continue to suffer from. While focusing on open defecation as the larger picture, the film also touches upon other key issues, including superstition, societal pressure and narrow mindedness of the society. During Jaya's struggle against open defecation, she comes across women who pooh-pooh her decisions. Some even go on to question her education and state that women should not be given to much 'freedom'. It is commendable that Singh has highlighted the various evils that continue to poison our society, in a film that provides wholesome entertainment. It is difficult to find this perfect combination in a good film. Fortunately, TEPK has passed this litmus test with flying colours.
Verdict: A must watch for one and all! Highly recommended for it's flawless performances, excellent writing and the strong message, that creates an impact. Radhe Radhe!!
☆☆☆☆
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Despite the film being her second outing, Bhumi Pednekar shines with an outstanding act. With the perfect body language, nuances and fabulous dialogue delivery, she breathes life into Jaya. She does not make the character look caricaturish. Jaya is relatable and real. Pednekar 's natural act (and look) is one of the strongest highlights in the film. It is impossible for anyone to believe that the actress is just one film old. There are portions where she outshines all the veterans around her. That's the mark of a talented artist, and with this flawless performance, Pednekar has proved that she is here to stay.
Bhumi Pednekar 's natural act is one of the strongest highlights in the film. It is impossible for anyone to believe that the actress is just one film old
Akshay Kumar is one of the very few actors who has managed to excel in different genres and has shown excellent range in all his films. There is no doubt that the actor is incredibly versatile. Film after film, he has raised the bar and taken things a notch above with his brilliant performance and vision. TEPK is no different. Kumar's portrayal of Keshav creates a strong impact. He starts off as a regular, confused local guy (with some serious stalking skills), but as the film progresses, the character grows into someone on a mission. Keshav's boy to man journey has been flawlessly essayed by Kumar. His chemistry with Pednekar's Jaya is fabulous, which is another strong highlight of the film.
Akshay Kumar is one of the very few actors who has managed to excel in different genres and has shown excellent range in all his films
Singh's Toilet: Ek Prem Katha is an important film of our times. It explores a love story, against the backdrop of several dark issues that the people of our country continue to suffer from. While focusing on open defecation as the larger picture, the film also touches upon other key issues, including superstition, societal pressure and narrow mindedness of the society. During Jaya's struggle against open defecation, she comes across women who pooh-pooh her decisions. Some even go on to question her education and state that women should not be given to much 'freedom'. It is commendable that Singh has highlighted the various evils that continue to poison our society, in a film that provides wholesome entertainment. It is difficult to find this perfect combination in a good film. Fortunately, TEPK has passed this litmus test with flying colours.
Verdict: A must watch for one and all! Highly recommended for it's flawless performances, excellent writing and the strong message, that creates an impact. Radhe Radhe!!
☆☆☆☆
Join the conversation and follow us on
Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat | Instagram | YouTube
The Star Quotient Never Works For Any Film - Akshay Kumar | Exclusive Interview
The charming actor with a heart of gold, Akshay Kumar has been in the news for all the right reasons. He has an interesting line up of films and a packed schedule all the way up to 2018. This year too shall see the actor in 3 - 4 different avatars, ranging from a lawyer to a toilet owner and a sci-fi baddie. While he has been making all the right noises on the professional front, Kumar hasn't allowed his duty as an alert and responsible citizen to take a backseat. For someone who has been actively involved in social causes and philanthropic activities, the Khiladi rightly stood up for important causes and made good use of social media to voice his opinion. Although he shies away from talking about charity, the actor, who is also on the Forbes list of World's Highest Earning Celebrities, has always taken a step ahead to support social causes. Be it empowering the girl child or supporting drought hit farmers, Kumar has done it all. More power to him!
In between a long day of promotions for his upcoming film - Jolly LLB 2, which is now just two days away from release, we caught up with Akshay Kumar to discuss films, family and more. Excerpts from a candid conversation:
Your films usually release on national holidays. How come you opted for a date in February instead?
It is a strategic decision because two big films (Raees & Kaabil) had already released.
You are working with film maker Subhash Kapoor for the first time. What was your experience of working with him like?
He used to be a political journalist before turning into a film maker. Subhash is a very well read person. He has done a lot of research for this film. His language is very good and he also writes very well. I am confident that the audience will like this story. I feel the star quotient never works for any film. For me, the real hero of a film is the story. The audience today is very smart and they only want to watch a good story.
And what about Huma? You are paired with her for the first time as well.
She is very beautiful and also talented. In the film she is the man of the house. I make drinks for her and also cook for her. For Huma also this is a new genre. Off camera whenever we used chat with her she always tells me even she wants a husband like this in real life too!
For me, the real hero of a film is the story
Fan Questions
Jolly LLB 2 is a tale of lies and truth. It is almost like a chess game. The story revolves around many things. Not just corruption, but it has several other aspects of genres like thriller and murder mysteries. What excited about the role is the fact that this is the first time I am playing a lawyer. So, I am definitely looking forward to the film.
It's a new story and a new thing for me to do. It's a space where people have not seen me. In our country, we have 3.5 crore cases pending and only 21 thousand lawyers. So, there is a huge gap. Still, citizens of our country have immense respect towards our legal system. Even today, when two people fight on the road, they will tell each other - 'I will see you in the court'.
Jolly LLB 2 is a tale of lies and truth. It is almost like a chess game
You recently took to Twitter and condemned the Bengaluru mass molestation through a video, followed by another one dedicated to the Indian soldiers. These videos went viral within minutes. What are your thoughts on social media playing a key role in creating awareness today?
See, I have realised one thing. India has a huge population. So much, that it is impossible to change everything in just one go. It took years to pile up the garbage, so obviously, nothing can change in one day. What we can do is hope that people become sensitive and intelligent enough to understand this. I do my own work, by putting up small videos, where I ask people to think about our country. I never criticise them. When people think of their family and friends, so why not for their own country?
Go on...
That's why as an actor, I take a lot of initiatives. See, cleanliness is the main problem in our country right now. I feel ashamed when I see people spit on the road. They throw things on the road from an auto, cab or car. My house is at the beach, and around 3-4 years back, I literally used to ask people to clean the beach whenever they made it dirty. Now, if you see almost a kilometre on the left and right side of my house, you will see no garbage. My next film (Toilet: Ek Prem Katha) is also about that. It has a commercial side along with a strong message, and focuses a lot on cleanliness. And I am sure people do learn from all these aspects.
Cleanliness is the main problem in our country right now. I feel ashamed when I see people spit on the road
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| Image Credit: MW Magazine |
Both Twinkle and you have given 'relationship goals' a whole new meaning, and the two of you recently completed 16 years of marital bliss. What keeps your bond strong?
It's all about the friendship that we share. That's exactly what keeps us going. Whenever there is an outdoor shoot, I always feel the need to come back. The space is also very important for a couple.
And what about your kids? How do you bond with them?
Due to my hectic schedule, I don't get the chance to spend enough time. But, Twinkle does take care of the kids fully. When it comes to outdoor activities like swimming or martial arts, I am the one who takes them out (smile).
I enjoy challenges. That's why I have got something different in all my upcoming films
You have got a diverse range of films coming up, with unique characters and subjects.
I enjoy challenges. That's why I have got something different in all my upcoming films. Be it Toilet: Ek Prem Katha which takes inspiration from the Swacch Bharat initiative or Crack, which focuses on schizophrenia. Then there is 2.0 (Robot 2), where I play a completely negative character, Gold - which is a biopic, and Padman, for which I will start shooting soon. I like taking up characters that are different.
(with inputs by Priya Adivarekar)
