Bhopal: 70 years wait for PM who knew importance of toilets, says Akshay Kumar at Chitra Bharti Film Festival

Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh): Film actor Akshay Kumar has said that India had to wait for 70 years for a Prime Minister who could apprise the people of the importance of having a toilet at home.

Kumar was speaking at the inaugural function of a three-day Chitra Bharti Film Festival, held on the new premises of the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication (MCNUJC), Bishankhedi in the city on Friday.

Citing films with social messages like Toilet Ek Prem Katha and Pad Man, he said that films are not meant to just entertain, adding that Vivek Agnihotri has told a “painful story” through his film The Kashmir File

Kumar lamented that even though the country has passed through a terrible phase over the past two years, only 12 persons in the hall are wearing masks.

Vivek Agnihotri alleged that the films being made today were promoting terrorists. “I have shown through my film that terrorists are not the product of persecution,” he said. “I am an ordinary Indian, the son of a teacher from a small town,” he added. He also announced five scholarships for students of MCU, three of which will be given to women students. “The scholarships will be given for work on topics related to Indian civilization and the common man,” he said.

Vice-chancellor of the university Prof KG Suresh said that immediately after independence, landlords used to be the villains of Indian films. Then, industrialists, police officers and netas were portrayed as villains. But the heroes were always youths from villages or small towns. However, this started changing from the year 2000, when young men from metros like Mumbai started being portrayed as heroes.

Culture minister Usha Thakur was also present at the inaugural event. Besides, the three-day fest includes screening of films and ‘Master Classes’ by film and theatre personalities. Agnihotri, film director T.S. Nagabharana and sound designer Subhash Sahu took master classes.