Woman who inspired Toilet: Ek Prem Katha wants film royalties
The makers of Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar starrer Toilet: Ek Prem Katha have failed to win over Madhya Pradesh’s toilet crusader Anita Narre, the inspiration behind the film, to sign an agreement ahead of the movie’s release on August 11.
Anita became a celebrity when she deserted her husband immediately after her marriage in 2011 as her in-laws did not have a toilet at home. She was honoured by Sulabh International and given ₹7 lakh. The President of India also honoured her. The district administration got a pucca toilet constructed at her in-laws’ place.
Hers was the first case in the country when a woman mustered the courage to raise her voice for a toilet, while defying the age-old practice of open defecation.
Toilet: Ek Prem Katha director Shree Narayan Singh and Pednekar visited Anita at her village in Betul district a few days ago. Singh handed over an agreement and a cheque of ₹5 lakh to her. However, Anita and her husband Shivram Narre refused to sign the agreement and sought more time, saying they didn’t know English.
However Anita told the media that she would sign the agreement only when she was assured of a royalty in the film earnings.
Local journalist Sanjay Shukla, who broke Anita’s story in 2011, says the filmmakers want the agreement to be signed so that they can create a shield for themselves against the legal hurdles they are facing. The agreement, he claims, says the film is based on the life of Anita Narre.
In an interesting development, the film director called up Anita on Tuesday and asked her to return the cheque and agreement if she was not willing to sign it. Shukla, however, called it a pressure tactic.
Denying the charges, Singh said he visited the village as he wanted Anita and other women who defied open defecation to appear in the film.