Akshay Kumar, who is currently riding high on the success of Kesari: Chapter 2, recently opened up about the influence of his socially driven films, how he processes criticism, and what truly scares him in life.
Recalling the societal changes his films have triggered, the actor shared in an interview with Zee Music Company, “I have felt this a lot of times. After watching Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, people started taking toilets seriously and invested in building it at home. Even after Padman, people started talking about periods openly at home.”
He emphasized how the conversations around menstruation became more open within families. “Daughters were able to talk about periods, their pain, and buying sanitary pads with their fathers freely. I also made OMG 2 based on sex education. I talked about how important it is. Jab log inn kahaniyan se relate karte hain and get impressed, it feels gratifying to me as an actor,” Akshay added.
While the superstar values the audience’s love, he admitted that criticism doesn’t always go unnoticed. “Audience hi maalik hai because they pay for the whole thing. When they clap for me, then it’s a motivation and when they criticise, I get to learn as well,” he explained, adding that genuine feedback pushes him to grow.
The actor further stated that audience demand has influenced his choice of films over the years. “It has happened several times when people have said, ‘Kuch alag karo’. So, I tried doing different movies as well. Criticism hurts sometimes, but if it comes from the heart, then it only makes you better.”
His remarks come at a time when veteran actress Jaya Bachchan recently raised concerns about the kind of content being produced in Indian cinema today. She had expressed her disapproval of the film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, particularly criticizing its title. She questioned, “Abhi aap naam bhi dekhiye toh main aisi picturein kabhi na dekhu. Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, yeh koi naam hai? Yeh koi title hai?” She further labeled the film as a “flop,” despite its commercial success and critical acclaim.