Akshay Kumar has reportedly decided not to hold a press screening for Toilet-Ek Prem Katha before the theatrical release as the actor thinks negative reviews may have a bearing on the opening day collection.
Reports say Akshay took the decision and the Toilet-Ek Prem Katha team obliged. Akshay is apparently scared that critics may pan the movie.
"It is the new trend, rapidly catching on in Bollywood, and we are all for it. The decision to not screen Toilet-Ek Prem Katha for critics until Friday was taken by Akshay and we concurred happily. In fact, some production houses like Fox Star and Yash Raj Films have followed the no press screening until Friday policy for years. Now, other production houses are following the same pattern," Deccan Chronicle quoted a producer as saying.
While this appears to be a smart move to some, film critic Raja Sen calls it "shameful" on the part of the film-makers.
"What's the point of making films if you are scared of showing them? This contraband-like treatment for cinema is happening all over the world now, and it's shameful," the report quoted Sen as saying.
The makers of last two movies – Jagga Jasoos and Jab Harry Met Sejal-- had used the same technique, but both tanked at the box office. Although the two films had made decent business on opening day, the box office collection witnessed a downfall in the days followed.
Akshay has been having an excellent run at the box office with back to back blockbusters. Toilet-Ek Prem Katha too has a lot of hype around it, and there is hardly any reason for the actor to worry about its collection, of course, unless he is confident about the content.
