Toilet: Ek Prem Katha song — Akshay Kumar plays emotional Holi in ‘Gori Tu Latth Maar’ 

The relationship of Hindi cinema and the festival of Holi goes back a long way. Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Rang Barse Bheege Chunar Wali’ remains one of the most iconic Holi songs. Akshay Kumar’s Toilet: Ek Prem Katha is the latest film to include a Holi song called ‘Gori Tu Latth Maar.’

The Holi songs in Hindi films have always been about fun and frolic. But this track from Toilet: Ek Prem Katha captures the emotions evoked by the festival. It seems the song arrives after Bhumi Pednekar’s character leaves Akshay after their wedding as she discovers Akshay's family doesn't have a toilet in their house.

It's quite a surprise to see a mainstream film song on Holi start on a sad note. It has the greatness of Sonu Nigam written all over it. He shows his class by starting off in a melodious low-pitch style and then gradually going higher to make a point for the hero. Composer duo Manas-Shikhar employ the dhol effectively, adding a catchy beat to the song.

'Gori Tu Latth Maar' features a traditional ritual of women hitting men with wooden sticks as the men take cover behind a shield. This explains the words ‘Latth Maar’ (beating with wooden sticks). Towards the end, Pednekar's character is seen beating Akshay with a stick, probably as a means of catharsis for their forced separation. The Bollywood hero that Akshay is, he is unmoved by all the thrashing.

Directed by debutant Shree Narayan Singh, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha will be released on 11 August.

Watch the song: