Strong leads can't save a earnest but preachy swachhta ad stretched to feature length.
Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
Critical reception for Toilet: Ek Prem Katha is mixed, with the majority of reviewers acknowledging the film's earnest intentions while faulting its execution. Akshay Kumar's performance and his chemistry with Bhumi Pednekar are the most consistently praised elements across reviews. The most common criticism is that the film functions more as government propaganda or a public service announcement than as a genuine social drama, with many critics also citing an overlong runtime, a sluggish second half, and heavy-handed messaging that undermines its impact. A minority of reviewers found the hinterland humour and satirical moments sufficient to recommend it, while several others deemed it too preachy and indulgent to fully engage.
4 not-rated reviews aren't plotted
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of reviews from 22 publications · may contain errors
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Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
It's clear the film has its heart in the right place but the blatant pandering gets tiresome. Akshay Kumar brings just the right amount of levity and Bhumi Pednekar shines. It's the sloppy writing that is the culprit here. Toilet Ek Prem Katha had potential but it's only sporadically entertaining.
Top critic
Film review ·
It's fitting that Akshay Kumar has greenlit and played the lead in this film, which is more a primer of How To Break Social Taboos and Make Toilets rather than a powerful social drama. The moment a film succumbs to being the carrier of a Message as opposed to a message, it becomes burdened.
Top critic
Film review ·
When a Bollywood filmmaker turns cheerleader for a government drive, especially when the jury is still out on its success rate, you know you've been had. Unless you believe in this kind of propagandist stuff, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha is as avoidable as what it rightly rails against - open defecation.
Film review ·
This is essentially a cause-without-pause melodrama set at an opulent octave. Happily, director Shree Narayan Singh counterbalances those shrill notes of self-righteousness and propaganda with just the right doses of warmth, humour and irony.
Film review ·
Akshay is the backbone of this satire. His inner journey as an actor pays dividends and he delivers yet another topnotch performance... So whether you have pressing matters to attend to or not, please take a detour to this toilet. Each of us needs to raise a stink about what our countrymen do in the open.
Film review ·
The film doesn't look preachy at all; rather the issue of no toilet is shown in a quirky way. The USP of the film is its dialogues, which are written well. The first half is a little slow and overstretched but manages to sail through till the interval because of its comic punches.
Film review ·
Toilet: Ek Prem Katha not only has the quintessential elements of a PSA but it also comes across as a propaganda film that doesn't appear to leave any stone unturned in applauding the policies of the Narendra Modi government, including demonetization. Perhaps, movies like these are here to stay. Not only because our society requires them but also because our politicians need them. The only regret is that we shouldn't be asked to pay to watch such films. After all, no one ever expected us pay to watch a good old PSA!
Film review ·
...could have been a masterstroke but it isn't a lost hope either. In spite of its constipated second half and sluggish approach, the movie has its witty, satirical moments, terrific performances that entertain to the core and at least hint towards the open 'shit' that almost 54 percent of our proud digital India witnesses daily. Akshay Kumar deserves an extra pat on his back for highlighting it through a mainstream cinematic medium. Watch it at least for Akshay Kumar, his efforts and the cause the movie tries to raise.
Film review ·
Watch it for Akshay and Bhumi's crackling chemistry. This is by far the best fresh pairing we have seen onscreen this year.
Film review ·
What works for the film is the hinterland humour. In an elaborate sequence, Akshay Kumar's character gets married to a buffalo to get rid of his "manglik dosh". It is the laughs which take away your unease about the length of the two-and-a-half-hour-long film.
Film review ·
This is an honest attempt to tackle something that exists but not many are aware of it. This film will make you laugh, feel and most importantly think. Watch this for Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar's true-to-the-soul performances.
Film review ·
The film is documentary-ish, which is its biggest flaw. Because while everything else is going for it, the perpetual gyaan which isn't said with any subtlety and is rather on the face runs down its entertainment value.
Film review ·
Despite the flaws, TEPK is worth it for the pure intent and purpose behind its making. And of course, the brilliant chemistry between Akshay and Bhumi.
Film review ·
While the intention of this film is noble and should be lauded, the love story gets lost in the din of indoctrinating the glorious Indian government's honourable campaign. Watch this if you are in the mood to witness earnest acting performances, but if you are looking for a propaganda-free film, then this is not it.
Film review ·
It only works well when it allows Akshay Kumar's influential charisma and Bhumi Pednekar's fiery spirit to use their instinctive humour, warmth and spontaneity to build a relationship that's based on something more sound and striking than the sight of Sudhir Pandey's pee.
Film review ·
This film spends too much time discussing an issue with a very myopic view. The search for a plausible solution begins only two hours into the film, after the major part is spent dwelling on temporary workarounds.
Film review ·
Toilet Ek Prem Katha is too long and preachy. Despite standout performances by Akshay and Bhumi the film fails to engage or connect with you largely because of its snail paced tempo and long Sunday school styled monologues.
Film review ·
Toilet - Ek Premium Katha is a propaganda film, which attempts to tackle a serious issue of hygiene and open defecation but fails to make an impact.
Film review ·
Things start moving only towards the last few minutes in the film, and by then it's all about Akshay. Bhumi becomes a mere catalyst. This is the biggest issue with Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. Some of you may be able to ignore this in wake of the larger message in the film, but I would have preferred a different film altogether.
Film review ·
Bhumi Pednekar aces it as a homely, yet feisty, new bride while Akshay Kumar tries to present the issue in all its complexity. Toilet Ek Prem Katha looks promising and the film's pace keeps the audience engaged. However, one thing that can hamper Toilet Ek Prem Katha's impact is its repetitiveness.
Film review ·
Toilet: Ek Prem Katha might have sounded great on paper, but loses impact in its telling. The film gets way too loopy and indulgent that I actually heard someone say 'What crap man!' aptly summing up a film called Toilet.
Film review ·
Instead of sticking to social satire, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha takes on the mantle of an extended propaganda film—it's just as tiresome, but with better production values and performances.
From our readers
14 ratings · user score 8.1
I just cant explain my emotions amd feelings after watching this movie a perfect blend of humour,moral and story it could not b more better Akshay kumar is at his best one of the best performance he had given his co star bhumi's work is brilliant and so does the other's like anupam kher,divyendu A must wqtch for every indian
I dont understand what d critics really want from a movie? It's a Bollywood movie guys dont except a GameOfThrones type storyline..idiots.. Its low budget extraordinary movie🙌really like it.. little bit long but the entertainment not let u realize that its too long. Akshay eic performance i repeat epic. Bhumi dibyendu all casts r superb. Everythng is fantastic. U cant give less than 7 out of 10.. some critics hv gvn 5😂 i hv doubt tbey hv seen it or not. Akshay didn't arrange special screening for them b4 friday so they came with rating 4-5.. poor guys... If u want reviews go to youtube u can get direct public reviews fr9m thr. The critics r idiots
Bollywood is going through a bad phase today. After Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya , we haven't got any clean hit. Where Big Superstars Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan failed with their Tubelight and Jab Harry Met Sejal respectively , now all eyes are set on Akshay Kumar's Toilet Ek Prem Katha. Trade has great expectations from Akshay Kumar starer. This is Akshay's second film this year after Jolly LLB 2 which was a Commercial Success. Same is being expected from TEPK ( Toilet Ek Prem Katha). But like 90% Bollywood Films, TEPK too has fallen a prey to an irritating context – "First half is very good. Second half is average / bad." Lets see the detailed review of Toilet Ek Prem Katha. But fortunately this one is saved by stellar performances and apt dialogues for this kind of genre. Story / Screenplay : Toilet Ek Prem Katha is a love story and a satirical comedy in support of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swaccha Bharat Abhiyan', a governmental campaign to improve the sanitation conditions, with an emphasis on the eradication of open defecation especially in rural areas. Keshav ( Akshay) falls in love with Jaya ( Bhumi Pednekar) ,College Topper. Few reels are utilized for their love to bloom. Akshay follows her , first she ignores and then gradually falls for him. Though this is cliched spot , but you don't get bore. You enjoy it. Keshav's life seems to be on the right path as he gets married to his love Jaya but her life turns upside down when she discovers that Keshav's house has no toilet. And he can't build one because of the prevalent religious beliefs. And she is not ready to go for in open. Keshav agrees with Jaya and tries to convince his father for this. But his father ( Sudhir Pandey ) refuses his demand which prompts Akshay to rebel against the society and he has an uphill task on his hand. He, however, is willing to go all the way for his love for Jaya. So will he be successful ? Will Jaya come back to his life ? All questions will be answered in theaters near you. Screenplay is written by Sidharth Singh and Garima Wahal. And I must add that first half is thoroughly entertaining and that's the success of screenplay writers. But Unfortunately this success is limited to first half only. Second half is a bit stretched and filled with unnecessary elements like reference to Demonetization. Some scenes in pre-climax are repetitive. I don't understand why writers can't keep second half as engaging ans smooth as first. Don't they understand that audiences leave theaters with second half ? Neverthless, lets move ahead. Performances : The biggest plus point of TEPK is – Performances. Yes. Akshay Kumar as Keshav has nailed it here. He knows what audience love about him. He portrays that with full dedication and enthusiasm. Director has used his acting skills quintessentially. From facial expressions to dialogue deliveries to romance , Akshay excels everywhere except for a few reels post interval. Bhumi , as Jaya too has lived her character. She looks simple and that adds feather to her act. Divyendu in a supporting role is Amazing. His scenes with Akshay are hilarious. Sudhir Pandey and Anupam Kher too have done great jobs. Overall , this film is rich by Performances. Music : I am a tad disappointed with music. Has Mat Pagli is the only song that you remember after living theater. Bakheda is okay and feels good while watching on big screens. Other songs feels like speed breaker and seems unnecessary. Direction : Toilet Ek Prem Katha has been Directed by Shree Narayan Singh. And he has done a decent job. He knows how to use his actors and make them deliver praiseworthy performance. But his grip on film looses post interval. Another let down is Editing. I think film could have been 15 minutes shorter. Director has put some unnecessary scenes post interval. He should have had editor cut some of them. Neverthless, he retain his grip on movie in some scenes in climax and give us a good enterainer. Lets have a look on some Positive and Negative aspects of TEPK. Positives : Story , Performances , Dialogues , Direction , and screenplay of first half. Negatives : Editing, Music , Screenplay of Second half. On the whole , Toilet Ek Prem Katha is a good entertainer. First half is very good and entertaining but second half is average entertainer. Watch this film if you want some good dose of laughter this weekend. Director has tried to give some 'gyan' in second half but that may go good with some and also irritating for some. But you will be satisfied to have seen though not very good but a good film. I am going with 3 out of 5 for Akshay Kumar's Toilet Ek Prem Katha. Ratings 7/10
Fantastic mindblowing outstanding marbalous superb
As we step foot into the 71st year of Independence, we are at the cusp of becoming the next global economic powerhouse. But we fail to reach our potential as there are many areas where we are still stuck in the medieval period. At times, it is due to the Governments in power while at most instances it's due to the lackadaisical attitude of the population . One such problem that has plagued the country is lack of hygienic toilet practices & this issue is presented as a satire in "Toilet-Ek Prem Katha". The trailer was interesting & with Akki in the lead, there are high hopes about the project. So will it quell the dry spell at the box office after all Bollywood hardly had any big hits this year??? Keshav (Akshay Kumar) is the 36 year old son of a hard liner Brahmin, Panditji (Sudhir Pandey) who was the proprietor of a cycle shop. So dogmatic was his father, that Keshav was forced to marry a buffalo to ward off the 'maanglik' effect that was believed to have delayed his marriage. To add to his woes, his father was adamant that he should be married to a female who had polydactyly to ensure that he had a peaceful life. Around this time, he meets Jaya (Bhumi Pednekar) a state topper & with time, they enter into a relationship. He comes up with an ingenious idea to fool his father into believing that Jaya had an extra finger which paves the way for their marriage. But this was hardly a problem, until Jaya realizes that Keshav's house doesn't have a toilet & she would have to go with the 'lota party" in the wee hours to empty her bowels. She was livid about it & Keshav had to come up with an idea to resolve the problem lest she walks out on him. It's not surprising that Shree Narayanan Singh is a relatively unknown name after all he only has a forgetful "Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai" to his credit as a director. However, with his latest venture he will be heard with more regularity as he has done a fine job with the execution of the satire for large portions of the movies though it falters towards the end. Inspired from real life characters such as Anita Narre & Priyanka Bharti (you would have see her in the Vidya Balan UNICEF Total Sanitation ad); it has been scripted by Siddharth Singh & Garima Wahal. The predicament that Akshay finds himself in & the 'jugaad' that he comes up with evokes laughs. The manner in which the movie tackles the core issue is hilarious & thought provoking, but the hurried climax seemed rather unconvincing & kinda misses the mark as it stretched a tad too long. Despite his praise worthy credentials as a editor in movies like "A Wednesday", "Baby" , "M. S Dhoni" etc.; he has come up short here as it ought to have been trimmed much more efficiently. Anshuman Mahaley has done a commendable job in maintaining the rustic feel while the music which was done by a host of artists were satisfactory. Over the past couple of years, Akshay's choice of movies has been nothing short of brilliant whether it hits the mark or not. His conscious effort to dabble with various genres be it comedy, social issues, action etc., makes him the actor that I most look forward to (apart from Aamir). He was fantastic as Keshav especially in the marriage scenes where he does goofy stuff that made me almost fall off the seat laughing. Equally impressive was Bhumi who portrayed the fiesty spirit & romantic avatar with ease. It's hard to say who hasnt aced their part as each & every artist has done utmost justice to their roles be it Sudhir Pandey, Anupam Kher, Divyendu Sharma etc. Verdict: The box collections at the end of the opening weekend stands at an impressive 51 C, which gives ample proof that if the content is good then the audience will lap it up. Even as our nation talks about going digital, the stats shows us that close to 45% of our population still dont use toilets even when the authorities offer to build it. From time to time, we have had movies with strong messages; but I sincerely hope that this one will atleast make people make a conscious effort to deter from open defecation. In short, dont miss this hilarious satire!!! Rating: 3/5 Regards...Ben
This movie just adds an whole another level to the industry, it's unexpected charisma of Akshay Kumar is top notch also the heroine very beautiful and was a big shine , this movie made me a big fan of akshay !!! AMAZING MOVIE!!
This movie was top notch I really liked akshay performance as well as Bhumi they clearly were AMAZING and perfect at they're roles, this is the best movies I seen and will stay the best one it's comedy , realistic acting is just overwhelming , with the story of defecating on open lands. TRULY AMAZING movie !!!
India has a million faces, tis the landscape of a collage of myriad colours and juxtaposition. A nation borne on the pillars of ancient scriptures propagating healthy living and the idea of sattvic food and shuddhi, is perhaps most harrowingly filthy in its ways. And yes, the modern grandeur of our great nation stands tall over a mammoth pile of garbage on the roads, filth in every nook and corner and a populace obsessed with attending to nature's call out in the open. Swaccha Bharat isn't a dream to fulfill, it is an over neglected constitutional duty for which the billion citizens and the administrative machinery are accountable. Toilet ek Prem Katha is perhaps a first-of-its-kind movie anywhere in the world. It scoffs at the putrid mentality of ours. There are movies and there is Toilet ek Prem katha. Albiet, I must say, sitting through the two and a half hours of its running the feeling of a Doordarshan documentary crept in. So we witness this story, where Akshay kumar's character of a bachelor in his late thirties is struggling with the authoritarian dictates of a staunch Brahmin father ( in-form Sudhir Mishra ), who wouldn't let his son get married due to certiain doshas in the horoscope. However the wily son outsmarts the father cum pandit, when he falls in love with a pretty girl with a topper's degree ( excellent Bhumi Pednekar ).The educated bride is welcomed with a raucous marriage band and tons of flowers, the first night of bliss is pitch perfect for the couple. Almost the entire first half is spent on the premise building. Then the turmoil begins on the ''morn after''. The new bride is called out in the wee hours by the village ladies for a ''ritual''. The bride learns to her utter shock about lota party and then all hell breaks loose. Confronted and cornered by his much civilsed wife for not having a civic sense and openly defecating, our hero at first sees no point in creating brouhaha. He even chides her for being non adjusting and unjust. However, gradually he sees what she knows since childhood and begins to help her overcome the morning problem by his jugaadu ways. Predictably, the pandit cum father upon hearing the mere utterance of constructing a toilet in the home compound unleashes a volley of gyaan about sanskaar and parampara. The twist comes by way of an unfortunate mishap which culminates to the final resolve and the ''action'' part of the movie. The writing team of Garima Sidhharth are to be saluted for their brave effort. Lucid in their pacing but perhaps a tad too superfluous for the sake of entertainment quotient. While attacking the hygiene and sanitation issues, the writers bounce against the hyprocritical belief systems, patriarchal viewpoints and age old myths prevalant in our society.To break the mould so essential for the final statement, they use the female voice from two polarised universes. One that has accepted all that the society has heaved upon them and the other that knows what is right and what is wrong. The shrill overtone of reason is not to be missed in some key moments of the film. Ultimately in a showdown of sorts it all boils down to system vs people. The couple so madly in love with each other are uncannily shown to know the right thing to do even at the cost of their marriage. Of course the ending is a sweet smell of sucess. The director Shree Narayan Singh ( Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai ) having edited the movie himself seems to have sparingly snipped his own movie as the lenght is approximately half an hour longer than was nessesary. While the music is repeat worthy with a couple of sure fire chart-toppers, at least one song could have been done way with. The camera captures the village locales beautifully, but hovers from the top like a helicoter, scene after scene. Apart from the ''shame on you'' concept which barges into the potty zone with a 70 mm camera and eardrum scalding lines like '' khulla pichwara koi dekh bhi le toh muh ghunghat se dhak lena'',the movie barges ahead on the stellar performances. Each of the actors hold forte as if they realise this is a moment of truth in Indian cinema. Special mention for Divyendu 'Naru' Sharma for genuinely tickling the funny bone as Akhay's closest comrade. Khiladi kumar has proven yet again that he is a King in his own right. He effortlessly holds our complete attention while being the quitessential lover boy, playing an obedient son, rendering a heartwrenching monologue and ultimately to reveal a new found identity of a rebel with a cause. He turns on his superstar charm at will and we are enthralled by his genuine performance. This movie has another superstar in Bhumi. In the role of Jaya, she makes the topic of Toilets For All her own. She uses her sweet smile effectively and then turns it 360 degrees around to spit venom at a blindfolded society which revels in its apathy towards women. Her rustic, classy act is worth its value in gold. Move over serenading in mustard fields and princes from the ivory towers, here a splash of hard hitting reality which won't be forgotten in a long time. This toilet will be remembered for permanently flushing out some taboo.
Good . Good: acting performances , cinematography , decent screenplay , knowledge giving Weakness : below par editing , quite more unnecessary songs
Although some of the dialogue in the film is genuinely witty, largely it's an insipid, boring and sputtering propaganda sermon.
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