NEW DELHI: Akshay Kumar, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, plans a feature film to further the government’s campaign against open defecation as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission. It will be called Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, and shooting is to begin in November, said people with knowledge of the matter. Kumar’s creative spark was lit when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the International Fleet Review in Vishakhapatnam on February 6 and the two discussed the cleanup drive that was launched in 2014.
The former short-order cook and martial arts instructor-turned-film star had been invited to attend the naval exercise after he starred in Airlift, a film about the evacuation of Indians stranded in Kuwait after Saddam Hussein invaded it in 1990.
Officials privy to the matter said Modi had told Kumar about the importance of the cleanliness project and efforts being made by the government to generate awareness. “Kumar got impressed and started working on this after the meeting with the PM in an effort to contribute to the social cause. We learn he will start shooting for the film in November,” one of the officials told ET.
The actor was unavailable for comment and his publicist and manager didn’t respond to queries. The government is expected to reach out to Kumar soon to provide him with more details of the Swachh Bharat project and the work done by the government.
A feature film would go a long way to create awareness, officials said. The government is already working on producing videos to popularise the Swachh Bharat scheme. Earlier this month, film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Kangana Ranaut featured in a short video on the cleanliness theme, with the latter as Goddess Lakshmi. Bachchan has been roped in for a Ministry of Information and Broadcasting initiative, calling for entries from members of the public to compete in a short film competition being run by the National Film Development Corporation
(NFDC) on the Swachh Bharat theme. Winners will be announced on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti.
Bachchan is already the face and the voice of the Centre’s campaign to promote the compost aspect of the Swachh Bharat Mission. Priyanka Chopra has also agreed to be part of a promotional film on Swachh Bharat. Sachin Tendulkar, a Swachh Bharat ambassador, lent his voice to a Swachh Bharat video anthem last year. The Swachh Bharat Mission aims to end open defecation in India by October 2, 2019.
Bureau Report
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