Happy Birthday Akshay Kumar: 5 of his films that broke through societal stereotypes

Akshay Kumar is undoubtedly an actor whose films most of us look up to. He’s an artist that definitely values social responsibility and picks up films which not just entertains but educates. Akshay turns 54 today and here we have the list of his 5 films that have broken stereotypes and have given new perspectives to them.

“I don’t do films to bring changes in people’s minds. I do films which I believe in”, he once said and unarguably he’s making masterpieces where most industry reeks of brainless cinema.

On a personal note, Akshay lost his mother yesterday and deserves all our wishes and strength whereas, on the professional front, he will be further seen in Prithiviraj, Sooryavanshi, Bachchan Pandey, Atrangi Re, Ram Setu, Raksha Bandhan and OMG 2. Let’s now list these films to binge-watch today:

 

Toilet: Ek Prem Katha – Toilet is a word that sounds parallel to disgust to most of us, but it’s actually something that we can’t live without. With a film like a Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, based on the story of Anita Narre who left her husband because there was no toilet in his home, Akshay Kumar made an effort to tell people that toilet isn’t a dirty word and it’s normal to have an open discussion about it.

 

Padman: A man featuring in a film about menstruation is unmanly—that’s what most of us think, right? Breaking the period taboo and featuring in a film on periods and sanitary napkins, he broke the stereotype. After the film was released, he was hailed as the “Sanitary hero of the country” to “India’s menstrual man.” He even wore pink panties and sanitary napkins for the movie. 

 

Good Newz : This 2019 released film was a comedy-drama based on the concept of in-vitro fertilisation. The film took a hilarious swap that happens when the two couples attempt surrogacy and wait for their upcoming babies. However, trouble ensues when they find that the sperm of each couple has been mixed with the other. Having such a tabooed concept, Akshay aced his role and initiated a dialogue.

 

Oh My God: In this film, Akshay challenged the merchandising of religion. Despite this being such a sensitive and controversial topic in India that most of us chose to stay away from it, he decided to confront it. To pick up an untouchable topic and take a witty take on it, Akshay Kumar said that OMG was not made with the intent to make money.

 

Laxmii: In this film, Khiladi Kumar portrayed a trans character who was mostly criticised by the community for a wrong portrayal but was still a good attempt. Even though he couldn’t do justice to his character, Akshay definitely developed a dialogue around this outcasted community. Well, he also played a gay man for one cameo role in Dishoom which was not stereotyped and was all manly and positive. Have a look: