Toilet Ek Prem Katha To Enter 100 Crore Club?

Akshay Kumar has aced the formula to make hit films, if there is a formula. With Toilet Ek Prem Katha, a socially relevant film that takes on the problem of open defecation in India, the actor has posted his fifth consecutive hit in the last 20 months. According to early estimates, Toilet movie managed to earn over Rs 100 crore in eight days after its release. The film came out on August 11.

Trade analyst Ramesh Bala tweeted, “#ToiletEkPremKatha All-India BO Nett: 1st Week - ₹ 96.05 cr. Fri Aug 18th - ₹ 4.25 cr. (Early Estimates) Total - ₹ 100.30 cr.” Before Toilet Ek Prem Katha, Akshay Kumar’s Airlift, Housefull 3, Rustom and Jolly LLB 2 made over Rs 100 crore and posted profits as they were all made at a comparatively modest budget.

Toilet has got a lot of applause for its out-of-the-box theme and treatment. Inspired by PM Narendra Modi’s Clean India campaign, it has also gone tax-free in certain places. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh had earlier said that the film’s succesful run is far from over. “#ToiletEkPremKatha Fri 13.10 cr, Sat 17.10 cr, Sun 21.25 cr, Mon 12 cr, Tue 20 cr, Wed 6.50 cr, Thu 6.10 cr. Total: ₹ 96.05 cr. #ToiletEkPremKatha is expected to dominate in Week 2, despite new film releases today... It’s a wave that won’t slow down so soon... #TEPK.”

Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao and Kriti Sanon’s Barielly Ki Barfi released this week as did Gurinder Chaddha’s Viceroy’s House.

Meanwhile, Akshay spoke about the film’s success and reasons behind at a recent press conference. “I never make a social film with lot of commercial material; I make sure that there is a love story. To be honest I remember the love story more than anything else in this (Toilet: Ek Prem Katha) film,” he said.

Akshay is now being called Bharat Kumar like Manoj Kumar in the 1970s. Asked about this, he said: “I think he is a very big man and the films that he made cannot be compared to any others.”

Asked if there are any free screenings of the film taking place in the country, he said: “Many places the government themselves are showing it... I have heard they are doing it currently in Haryana. Many villages in UP are screening the film. I just heard that even Doordarshan wants to show the film very soon so that maximum people can watch it as soon as possible.”