Toilet: Ek Prem Katha Producer Responds to Jaya Bachchan’s Criticism on Film’s Title

Recently, the 2017 comedy-drama film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha made headlines again. The film, which starred Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar in the lead roles, had a controversial title. Jaya Bachchan, during a recent event, expressed her disappointment over the film’s title and even called it a “flop.”

In response to these comments, the film’s producer, Prerna Arora, spoke to Bollywood Hungama. She shared her admiration for Jaya Bachchan, saying, “I am a huge, HUGE fan of Jaya ji. She is the ultimate.” Prerna went on to explain that she has always enjoyed Jaya Bachchan’s iconic films like Guddi, Uphaar, Abhimaan, and Mili. However, she also expressed how hurtful it was to hear Jaya Bachchan describe Toilet: Ek Prem Katha as a flop. According to Prerna, the film earned a “very handsome profit” and was one of the five biggest hits of 2017. She urged Jaya Bachchan to check the box office figures.

Prerna also clarified the thought process behind the film’s title. Initially, the title seemed risky, especially with the word “toilet” in it. But in the end, they decided to take a bold step and use it. Prerna believes that cinema is about taking risks and pushing boundaries. She even pointed out that Jaya Bachchan herself had taken risks in her career, referencing her role in Doosri Sita, where she played a woman who murdered her abusive husband. Prerna added, “Toilet: Ek Prem Katha is a film I am very proud of,” and she would love to show it to Jaya Bachchan if she permits.

Jaya Bachchan had previously said about the film’s title, “Look at the name of the film; I would never go to watch such movies. Toilet: Ek Prem Katha—is this even a name? Is it a good title? Please tell me, how many of you would watch a film with such a title? The film is a flop.”

On a different note, Jaya Bachchan was last seen in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, directed by Karan Johar.