“From Toilets With Love”

The New York Times inform of a movie in India called “Toilet, a Love Story.” It has been termed as most popular movie in India. The movie is based on the plight of a poor woman in central India. The woman, in the movie, learnt after her marriage that her new house had no toilet. She refused to come back until her husband built her one. He does, and she returns. So, the toilet brought immense love for the newly married couple! The movie, which was released this month across more than 3,000 screens in India and at dozens of theaters internationally, seems to have struck a chord, even among India’s urban dwellers (www.nytimes.com/2017/09/03/world/asia/in...ilet-movie.html?_r=0)

According to the paper, toilets are a big issue in India these days. There aren’t enough of them for the country’s 1.3 billion people, and the government is embarking on the biggest toilet-building campaign in the nation’s history. India’s prime minister has vowed to build a staggering 100 million new toilets.

Somewhat funny as it sounds, the paper says that all across the country, new latrines are going up, sometimes so fast they are not connected to anything, creating toilets to nowhere that are so fly-ridden and stinky that almost no one will use them. This is typical of what happens in the rural areas of Sindh, Pakistan, where due to bad planning and poor technical know-how, the sewer pipes end up with dead ends. In some cases the slope is in reverse! Imagine, what happens!!

The paper says that there’s even a new mobile phone app in India, telling people how to find the nearest john. “When nature calls,” billboards read, “use your phone!”

According to Unicef, around 564 million Indians, nearly half the population, still defecate in the open — in fields, forests, next to ponds, along highway medians and on the beach. That spreads diseases and causes other public and personal problems. In fact, I will go a step further in saying (after seeing so many pictures) that railway tracks in India are used for both running trains, and for defecation.

Sanitation is a major problem in India. I’m sure that the efforts of the government in India in ending open defecation will be successful, some day.

F H Mughal

Dear Marijn,

This movie seems to have made quite a splash in India. I've seen it mentioned a few times now and I keep thinking of your forum post where you first brought it to our attention.

I watched the trailer and was amazed how long it was! 3 minutes, and it gives away pretty much the whole story.

In September, the New York Times had this article about it:
www.nytimes.com/2017/09/03/world/asia/in...tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur

In there it said:

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NEW DELHI — The most popular movie in India this summer is about a toilet. It nearly causes a divorce. It makes a father slap his adult son. It splits a village in half. But, ultimately, it’s about a romance.

Inspired by a true story, “Toilet” is loosely based on the experiences of a poor woman in central India, Anita Narre, who six years ago found herself in an arranged marriage to a field hand. Only after the wedding did she learn her new house had no toilet.

She refused to come back until her husband built her one. He does, and she returns. “Our love has grown since,” she said.

“Toilet,” which was released this month across more than 3,000 screens in India and at dozens of theaters internationally, seems to have struck a chord, even among India’s urban dwellers.

[...]

“Toilet,” for one, received tax breaks that have helped it earn around $20 million, a nice haul by Bollywood standards.

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Well done to the producer, writer, artists etc. to bring this topic to the big stage in India!
(has anyone gone to watch it in the cinema? I mean any of our forum members?)

Regards,
Elisabeth

Marijn Zandee wrote: Reviews seem to have been mixed, but I find it quite impressive that someone attempts to make a major blockbuster around our favorite topic. Hopefully some Indian colleagues can fill us in on how the film is received in India and how it is doing at the box office.

I have read it being described as "cringe worthy" in regards to the preachy way of dealing with the topic.

Do you think there is a cinema in Kathmandu that might have English subtitles for it? I just arrived here and am a bit too busy with project visits right now, but in a 1-2 weeks we could have a SuSanA get together and go watch it

Dear all,

To lift the Monday gloom somewhat, this is the trailer of "Toilet Ek Prem Katha (Toilet - A love story) which is now showing across India (and in Kathmandu).



I hope I managed to copy the link with the subtitles on. If not, press the "CC" button in the player.

The movie is loosely based on this story:
www.hindustantimes.com/india/21-year-old...3cVTAtPB5TinNbI.html

Reviews seem to have been mixed, but I find it quite impressive that someone attempts to make a major blockbuster around our favorite topic. Hopefully some Indian colleagues can fill us in on how the film is received in India and how it is doing at the box office.

Regards

Marijn