'Toilet' Movie Producer Hits Back at Jaya Bachchan's 'Flop Film' Remark: "It Was One of the Five Biggest"

Veteran actress Jaya Bachchan recently took a dig at Akshay Kumar’s film Toilet Ek Prem Katha during a conclave. She mocked the title and dismissed it as a “flop.” Now, the co-producer of the film, Prerna Arora, has reacted to her remarks, asking her to check the film’s box office numbers.

Prerna Arora expressed her disappointment, stating that she has always admired Jaya Bachchan. In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, Arora said, "Let me first state that I am a huge, HUGE fan of Jayaji. For me, she is the ultimate. I can watch Guddi, Uphaar, Abhimaan, and Mili anytime, anywhere, and feel happy about life. It is, therefore, very hurtful to hear her say that our film Toilet Ek Prem Katha was a flop."

She further defended the film’s success, highlighting its strong performance at the box office. "Ma’am should check the box office figures. Our film earned a very handsome profit. It was one of the five biggest hits of 2017." Addressing Jaya Bachchan’s criticism of the film’s title, Arora admitted that initially, even the makers were unsure about using the word ‘toilet.’ However, they eventually decided to stick with it, believing in the film’s strong social message.

As a producer, Arora said she has always taken risks and pointed out that Jaya Bachchan has done the same in her career. "Jaya Ma’am took risks with her role choices all the time. She did Doosri Sita, where she played a woman who murders her abusive husband." She concluded by saying she is immensely proud of Toilet Ek Prem Katha and would love to show it to Jaya Bachchan if she agrees.

During the India TV conclave, Jaya Bachchan was asked about films that promote government-backed social issues. When Toilet Ek Prem Katha was mentioned, she reacted sarcastically, saying, "Abhi aap naam bhi dekhiye, main aisi picture khud kabhi naa dekhne jao. Toilet Ek Prem Katha, yeh koi naam hai? Yeh koi title hai?" She further questioned the audience, asking if they would watch a film with such a title. When only a few people raised their hands, she remarked, "Itne log mein chaar log haath utha rahe hai, very sad. Picture flop hai."

Arora’s response has now sparked a debate, with fans and industry insiders reacting to the exchange.