A lot of heroes rejected 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha': Akshay Kumar

Mumbai: Actor Akshay Kumar said before coming to him, "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha" was offered to many other heroes, who rejected the movie.

Directed by Shree Narayan Singh and co-produced by Akshay and Neeraj Pandey, the film stars Akshay and Bhumi Pednekar.

"The writers brought the subject to me. Interestingly, this script was doing the rounds in the industry for over four years. It went to a lot of heroes, a lot of people but nobody picked it up," Akshay told reporters.

"I liked it and I asked Neeraj Pandey with folded hands to give it to me. Earlier, the film was named 'Sandaas: Ek Prem Katha' but later the title was changed."

The actor said the film is based on a true incident and is essentially a love story.

"This film is primarily a love story. The toilet construction just forms the backdrop. The film is about Keshav and Jaya. It is based on a true story."

When the film's trailer came out, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had praised it and called the movie a commendable effort to promote cleanliness.

When asked if he has any plans to hold a special screening for Modi, the actor said, "I would love to."

The film is scheduled to release on August 11.