The duration of ‘Toilet – Ek Prem Katha’ has left the exhibitors nervous

This year, both the Khans’ films, ‘Tubelight’ and ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ couldn’t impress at the box office. And, they had one very crucial thing in common. Their runtime was above two hours and that’s not something which is favoured much by the multiplexes. Now, ‘Toilet – Ek Prem Katha’ starring Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar in the lead roles also has a long runtime of 2 hours and 32 minutes. This has apparently left the exhibitors nervous.

A senior personnel from a popular multiplex chain believes that the movie should have been trimmed by at least 30 minutes. Speaking to a leading daily, he said, “Audiences today do not have the patience to sit in the theatre for more than two hours unless it is something as staggeringly spectacular as ‘Baahubali’. If ‘Jagga Jasoos’, ‘Tubelight’ and ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ were shorter, they would have definitely run longer.” However, a trade analyst begs to differ as he says, “If the film is good, the length does not matter. Case in point, ‘Mubarakan’, which released two weeks ago.” (Also Read: CBFC deletes Arnab Goswami’s reference from ‘TEPK’, Arnab surprised)

Akshaye Rathi, exhibitor-distributor said to a leading daily, “It certainly looks interesting. Now here is the deal you know. There is Aamir Khan, whose name is iconic for trust in the mind of the audience. People actually think Aamir Khan ki picture hai to kuch interesting hoga. By now Akshay Kumar has begun to enjoy a similar degree of trust because if you look at the kind of movies he has done, they are critically acclaimed and also commercially successful. He has become a darling not just of the media but also of the audience. Again it (‘Toilet Ek Prem Katha’) has a very relevant theme if you see. Open defecation is a problem that bothers the heartland of India like nothing else. It’s a subject that is very relatable. Swachh Bharat is driven by our own Prime Minister. If you add entertainment value to a subject like that, the potential increases.”

The movie directed by Shree Narayan Singh released today.

Prajakta Ajgaonkar

Passionate about writing, and a Bollywood lover, she is all that is sweet and endearing! She desires to put her best foot forward in everything that she does and loves to help anyone who’s in need.