Review of Toilet: A Love Story

Makers research work is clearly lacking in this film. According to their knowledge, religion is the biggest obstacle on the way of construction of toilet in villages. If they had visited, at least few remote villages of different religions, then must have come across the basic factors of open defecation, like poverty, lack of education and unawareness of health hazards of it. Assuming religion as main reason, they came with lots of high octane preachy scenes and dialogues, even some Shaloks from 'Manu Smriti', I couldn't understand it a bit but it was key scene for them. Their research work source would have been news paper cutting or some news clippings not at the real field. For sick or old persons, people used to constructing makeshift toilets. Rarely any person used to oppose this thing in the name of religion. Film is lengthy, due to stale scenes, like film opens with beaten Mangal Dosh excuse for being married with buffalo. Using train's toilet at station and showing its montages and all that. Makers are not aware that using train toilet at station is also like doing open defecation if there is no bio toilet attached and the train shown in this film doesn't seem of having bio one. Dramatic scenes are also unbearable, like male lead, slapping hard the reporter, action sequence when toilet is being demolished, even male lead breaks an iron rod by hitting at his thigh like it was of wooden one! At interval, female lead couldn't get down from train and male lead is chasing her. This sequence is shot as if train is going to meet an accident! After interval in a scene, female lead shouted hysterically, to her neighbors women, who were going for open defecation, like they are going first time for the same. That Latthamar Holi sequence is supposed to be very emotional one, actors emoted well too but that was not going smoothly with the story telling. Film starts with stale Mangal Dosh, then some very convenient love scenes, then toilet issue, then Panchayet, government, divorce, media, but offers nothing in the name of novelty. Characterization is shaky too. Female lead is highly educated but can't even pronounce toilet. After love track, there was not a bit use of her being educated rather than behaving high headed. Male lead father suddenly changes his heart like a water bubble while his character is established as stoned way. Same thing happens with village women. Actually film is in bits and pieces. Performance wise Akshay Kumar is good. Bhumi Pednekar is brilliant. Divyendu Sharma as younger brother is very good. Rajesh Sharma as government officer, in his brief role is fine. Sudhir Pandey as father is first rate.