We caught up with the Toilet: Ek Prem Katha actors, Bhumi Pednekar and Akshay Kumar, recently, and we must say it was one of the most entertaining interviews. Akshay seemed to be in a good mood and was seen trolling his young co-star. Bhumi, of course, couldn’t contain her laughter and we were left in splits too. Here are excerpts from our fun chat with Khiladi Kumar and the very talented YRF find…
Toilet… looks like a film that has a serious message wrapped in a lot of emotion, drama and entertainment. What was the most difficult aspect for you?
Akshay: I had to speak in Sanskrit, which is not there in the promo. But in the film I speak in Sanskrit, which I had to remember and it took ages.
Any one particular dialogue or word you were stuck at?
Bhumi: Stuck, I don’t know, but the only bit in the film where I really had to learn was this huge monologue that both our characters say at different times. That was the only ‘learning learning’ it is like 3.5 pages and sir’s was more hectic.
Akshay: Her shot was about for about 2.5 minutes where she has to speak continuously and I had this 3.5 minutes of speaking continuously. It was tough to remember all the lines and say it.
You said the film was around for four years and nobody was wanting to take. But when it came to you, you folded your hands and asked for the project. What was it about Toilet that struck a chord and you thought it was a story that needs to be told?
Akshay: I think the idea itself, the realism itself, the difference and out-of-the-box approach, these are the things which I loved about the film. And the title, Toilet- Ek Prem Katha which was supposed to be Sandaas – Ek Prem Katha. All these things combined, I felt I want to do this film. I was intrigued about the fact that she didn’t even know I was the actor in it. When she had heard about the script she said a yes without knowing that I was there. When she knew it then she started thinking whether I should do it or not.
Is it true?
Bhumi: Not at all. I was jumping with joy. I said yes! I mean who would have thought, my second film, a film like Toilet, and with Akshay sir!
Akshay, you have been choosing films that have a serious message and yet you manage to entertain. Is that a conscious decision you have made as an actor?
Akshay: This is also an out-and-out masala movie. It is two-and-a-half hours of comedy. The last ten minutes the movie becomes a little serious. Rest of the film, you will keep laughing. This love story is very simple. This is about two people from the village, they meet and fall in love. It is so real. This doesn’t have anything like…I will do many big things for you, it is stuff like I will make a toilet for you, we go out on cycles and we stand under the trees and take selfies. It is a very simple love story, where 95 per cent of India does what this whole film is all about.
Talking about toilets, what is your worst toilet memory at a shoot or maybe in early college days? Do you have any tragic toilet memories?
Bhumi: No, but I am quite a “toiletzilla” if that is a word. At home I want my bathroom to be clean and dry. Once, I remember, we had gone for a concert and, oh my God, it was disgusting, it was bad!
Akshay, do you remember any such moment?
Akshay: I love what they write on the toilet. Whatever they study they write it on the wall. So I had read somewhere, itna zor agar exam mein diya hota toh kab ke pass ho gaye hote. So that was funny!
Here, watch the full interview below:
Is there any issue you would like to take up in the future?
Akshay: It’s not that I want to take up something with an issue. I want to take up something which is always entertaining and fun. I should enjoy it. If I can enjoy it then people can enjoy it. It is not like I want to find something that has an issue. It is not like that. The projects just come to me. There is a movie where I am playing a villain, what do I teach in that?
Bhumi: If I speak for myself, the reason I did this film was that it is a beautiful love story. It is really moving. Then of course it has a social message attached to it, which is great. And I am sure even you saw the love story which was the strongest for me in this film at least.
Did you see Bhumi’s Shubh Mangal Savdhaan trailer?
Akshay: Yes. I had seen it before it came out. She is my heroine and she shared it with me. I already shared it with the producer of the film and I spoke about it and I think it is brilliant. The kind of choices she has made, it’s very nice that she comes up with…her selection is so good. I wonder who is helping her.
Would you like to hire the same person who is helping her?
Akshay: I cannot afford him.
Tell three reasons why people should go and watch Toilet – Ek Prem Katha…
Akshay: Because it is a very simple love story, real story.
Bhumi: It is very entertaining but the film has a very strong social message to it. Everybody should go watch it because we promise it is going to be a joyride for 2.5 hours. And apart from that, it is a very credible film. It is very high on content, it is very high on craft.
Akshay: She asked for three not 35!
Toilet Ek Prem Katha released on August 11 across 3000 odd screens in India. This is the first time Bhumi and Akshay have been paired in a film together.