Toilet star Bhumi meets safai workers in Kanpur

Generally, actresses in Bollywood open up for experimental films when they are well settled in the industry, but Bhumi Pednekar is one who has no reservations taking up off beat roles. Barely three films old in Bolywood with films like 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha', 'Toilet Ek Prem Katha' and 'Shubh Mangal Savdhan', Bhumi says she's not in Bollywood to just do glamorous roles. In Kanpur recently for a programme on Swachhata Mission organized by a prominent school of the city, Bhumi talked about her experience of shooting in UP and how she has perhaps got into the habit of doing issue based films.
Bhumi, who shot for the film 'Toilet Ek Prem Katha' in Barsana and Nadgaon near Mathura, wants to come to UP to shoot another film. "UP mein shoot karne ka apna hi mazaa hai. The best thing is that UP offers the best food and being a foodie I really want to come here again to shoot extensively, especially to cities like Kanpur and Lucknow. I always knew that Lucknow is popular for its biryani and kebabs but I learnt that Kanpur is another city in the state which boasts of its variety of sweets and chaat," shared Bhumi.
Talking about 'Toilet Ek Prem Katha', that deals with the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Bhumi says when she heard the title of the film, her first thought was 'yeh kya movie hai? "I still remember the day when I received a phone call saying 'Madam ek movie hai Toilet Ek Prem Katha woh aap karna chahengi kya?' Somehow, I agreed to listen to story of the movie. I had a sitting with the writers of the film and within a few minutes of the session I was sure about doing this movie. I realised how grave is this problem of open defecation in our country. During the making of the film, I also came to know that 30 per cent of rapes in India are committed because ladies in villages have no toilets at home and they have to go out in the open to relieve themselves. I realised that by doing this film I could create awareness about this issue and the film was relevant in today's times," said the actor, who played a newlywed bride in the film, who leaves her husband's house when she sees there's no toilet there.
Bhumi, who was in Kanpur for a programme related to the same subject, also interacted with safai workers and spoke about the importance of maintaining cleanliness around us. Later, she was introduced to a lady who had sold her mangalsutra to get a toilet constructed in her house. "I was really touched when I came to know that Lata Devi from Bidhnu sold her mangalsutra to get a toilet constructed in her home."
"I was lucky to meet her during the event. Lata Devi ji told me that her teenage daughter used to feel uncomfortable while going out in fields. Seeing her problem she decided to get a toilet constructed at home. In order to set an example for the society and raise her voice against open defecation, she sold her mangalsutra and got a toilet built at home," said Bhumi, who was also impressed to know that Lata is now a member of a team that conducts checks in villages around Kanpur at 4 am to stop people from defecating in the open. "After meeting Lata Devi ji I felt that people like her are the actual heroes of our society and I salute them," shared Bhumi.
Be it 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha', 'Toilet Ek Prem Katha' or 'Shubh Mangal Savdhan', all of Bhumi's movies have dealt with an issue. Ask her if it's a conscious choice she makes or it is a mere coincidence. "My first film Dum Laga Ke Haisha was a simple love story but it highlighted the issue of body shaming. Dum Laga Ke Haisha ke baad jo pyaar aur samman mila uske baad mujhe aisa lagta hai ki mujhe shayad issue based films karne ki aadat si lag gayi hai," said Bhumi, adding, "I feel highlighting various social issues with my films is my responsibility but at the very same time I am an actor and my first priority is to entertain audience. I have done a film with filmmaker Zoya Akhtar which should by this year end. But, it is again an experimental film."