Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar’s Toilet–Ek Prem Katha may run into legal trouble for allegedly breaking with local tradition by depicting a romantic relationship in violation of custom. The film is being shot in villages near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. Lawyer Gokalesh Katara has threatened to serve a legal notice to the film’s director if the story does not endorse tradition in the Braj region, according to which, people of Nandgaon village aren’t allowed to marry people from Barsana village.
The production unit is filming in Nandgaon, and the plot has been kept under wraps from the public. However, locals reportedly overheard a dialogue while the film’s shooting was going on, which went: “Nandgaon ka chhora and Barsana ki chhori” (boy from Nandgaon and girl from Barsana).
Gokalesh Katara told the Hindustan Times, “Lord Krishna was a resident of Nandgaon and Radha, his beloved, was from Barsana and their ‘pious love’ is depicted during Holi festival organised every year. The tradition not to have marriages between boys and girls from these two villages continues.”
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Katara added that if the movie depicts the marriage between people of Nandgaon and Barsana, a legal notice would be served to the director for “hurting sentiments of people from these two villages.” He added, “We would ask the makers of the movie to provide us the script and then only a decision to proceed legally would begin. The title of the movie also seems to be objectionable.”
The film, directed by Shree Narayan Singh, is based on Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s cleanliness drive initiative Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan. The film has a satirical take on reports of numerous brides who have opted not to live in houses that lack toilets. The movie stars actress Bhumi Pednekar.