Toilet: Ek Prem Katha trailer — Satirical love story clogged by absence of a toilet 

Some of the best films that highlight social issues are the ones that get the message across in a subtle and light-heared way. Given his flair for rom coms, Akshay Kumar is perhaps the best fit for a social drama like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, which has its fun moments and more importantly highlights the shortage of toilets in India, with a huge number of the country's population not having access to the basic amenity. 

The first trailer of Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, which was released today, is very entertaining yet hard hitting. Unheralded filmmaker Shree Narayan Singh seems to have set the ball rolling with a refreshing take. Akshay Kumar seems to be playing a 40-something bachelor Keshav, who is keen on getting married, but is unable to find a bride because he is manglik. His father, played by Sudhir Pandey, gets him married to a buffalo to ward off the bad luck. He finally meets his bride in Jaya (Bhumi Pednekar). The girl at first resents his advances but eventually loses her heart to him. They get married, but the first dawn leaves the girl depressed after she realises that there is no toilet in her husband’s home. Rural women often defecate out in the open fields, which is both embarrassing as well as a threat to their security, given that they can go out only either before sunrise or after sunset.

Though a Maharashtrian, Pednekar proved with her maiden film Dum Lagake Haisha (2015) that she’s adept at playing a character that hails from Uttar Pradesh. Akshay displays the UP-ite mischievous sense of humour when he tells Jaya, “Badtameez kehdo par bhaisaab nahi (call me ill-mannered but don’t call me brother)."

The film is said to be inspired by true events. A serious issue is tackled with some good humour as Keshav takes it upon it himself to ensure that women get toilets in their homes, which would also help him save his own marriage. The village folk consider it unholy to have a toilet in the house, and Akshay has to put up a huge fight with his own father to get a toilet constructed. As we see in the trailer, the issue gets media coverage, which often brings chaos to the drama. 

Toilet has other fine actors like the seasoned Sudhir Pandey and Divyendu Sharma, who has good comic timing. It’s not just the protagonists, but the supporting cast too are adding weight to the film. 

In a nutshell, the trailer promises good entertainment with a message. Toilet: Ek Prem Katha is set to be released on 11 August. 

Watch the trailer below: