'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha' collects Rs 13 cr on Day 1, expects big boost on I-Day

The latest entrant in the Box office race, the Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Toilet

Film critic and trade analyst, Taran Adarsh took to Twitter to report on the movie's performance, and predicted a bigger boost come Independence day,

"#ToiletEkPremKatha picked up rapidly post noon onwards... Mass circuits have performed the best... Plexes decent/good... #TEPK" he tweeted.

Adding, "#ToiletEkPremKatha Fri 13.10 cr. India biz... Sat and Sun look better... Biz to get big boost on Tue [Independence Day]... #TEPK"

Directed by Shree Narayan Singh, the movie, with a message on sanitation and cleanliness, was warmly received by every section of the society.

Hollywood actress Salma Hayek, who met Akshay last year in Dubai at the Global Teachers Prize 2016, took to Twitter to congratulate the latter for supporting such an initiative, "Good luck to @akshaykumar on @ToiletTheFilm out today! End #OpenDefecation now! No woman should fear going to the toilet! #ToiletEkPremKatha"

The B-town stars also showered appreciation on Twitter, to the movie and its makers:

Sonakshi Sinha: "All the best to team #ToiletEkPremKatha! Another film with a message from @akshaykumar! Full support always"

Ayushmann Khurrana: "#ToiletEkPremKatha is not just a film it's a trigger to a revolution which is the need of the hour. Congrats @akshaykumar paaji & @psbhumi"

Arjun Rampal: "All the very best @akshaykumar @psbhumi @kriarj for #Toilet can't wait to see it. Love"

Abhishek Bachchan: "Here's wishing all the best to our friends @akshaykumar, @kriarj, @anupampkher,4the release of Toilet-ek prem katha. From Aishwarya and me."

'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha,' which also stars Bhumi Padnekar, is a satiric take on the lack of toilets in rural areas. Touted as crucial for the Indian masses, the movie is being appreciated for having highlighted the issue of open defecation owing to lack of toilets in villages. It also propagates Prime minister Modi's campaign- Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

While the Prime Minister has appreciated the movie as a "good effort to further the message of cleanliness", it has also received harsh criticism from certain reviewers for allegedly being propagandist in nature.