Actor Akshay Kumar addressed two controversies at the trailer launch of his upcoming historical legal drama Kesari Chapter 2&mdash;one involving veteran actress Jaya Bachchan&rsquo;s criticism of his 2017 film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, and the other over political comments linked to his portrayal of pre-Independence Congress leader Chettur Sankaran Nair.
When asked about Jaya Bachchan&rsquo;s recent remark that she refused to watch Toilet: Ek Prem Katha because of its title, Kumar responded with calm and grace. &ldquo;Ab agar unhone kaha hai toh sahi hoga, mujhe nahi pata. Agar Toilet: Ek Prem Katha banake maine koi galat kaam kiya hai... agar woh keh rahi hai toh sahi hoga,&rdquo; he said in Hindi. (&ldquo;If she has said that, then it must be right. I don&rsquo;t know. If I have done something wrong by making that film, then so be it.&rdquo;)
The actor, who starred in socially conscious films like Padman, Airlift, and Toilet:Ek Prem Katha, went on to defend his body of work. &ldquo;I think only a fool would criticize the kind of films I&rsquo;ve made,&rdquo; he said.
Jaya Bachchan had earlier dismissed Toilet: Ek Prem Katha due to its title, saying at an event, &ldquo;Yeh koi naam hai? Just look at the title&mdash;I would never go to watch a film with such a name.&rdquo;
In a separate exchange at the same event, Kumar chose not to comment on the political controversy surrounding Kesari Chapter 2, in which he plays C Sankaran Nair. A renowned lawyer and the 1897 president of the Indian National Congress, Nair led a legal crusade following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
The controversy arose after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused the Congress party of sidelining the legacy of leaders like Nair, Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Dr BR Ambedkar. 
Reacting to this, Kumar distanced himself from the political discourse. &ldquo;I am not a historian. I am just an actor,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;What somebody is saying, what any politician is saying&mdash;I am not going to get into that. I made this film based on what I understood, stories I heard from my father, The film is an amalgamation of all that.&rdquo;
The actor reiterated that the film aims to shed light on an overlooked chapter of Indian history and spark interest in India&rsquo;s freedom struggle. Kesari Chapter 2 will release in theatres on April 18 and also stars Ananya Panday in a key role.
(With inputs from IANS)
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Distances himself from political row over upcoming film ‘Kesari 2’ based on freedom fighter C Sankaran Nair

Akshay Kumar Reacts Jaya Bachchan’s Criticism

Distances himself from political row over upcoming film ‘Kesari 2’ based on freedom fighter C Sankaran Nair

April 11, 2025 | 23:21 IST