Raksha Bandhan: Akshay Kumar talks about his film which sheds light on the dowry system; calls the custom an ‘extortion’

One of the most adored and admired performers in the Indian film industry, Akshay Kumar is renowned for his work ethic and dedication. Ensuring that his run of flicks on the big screen is continued, superstar Akshay Kumar is back with his new film. The family drama, directed by Anand L Rai and starring Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar, is named Raksha Bandhan. In the movie, Akshay plays a guy with four sisters who is trying to arrange their marriages. Akshay claimed in a recent interview that the movie sheds light on Indian "dowry" customs.

Describing how dowry is similar to "extortion" and how the practice still affects India today, the actor said, “We cannot disagree with the fact that dowry is very much there in India. It's in the layers. Some call it dowry, gift, 'sankalp'. It has different names. Some demand that they want to have the wedding on a large scale. I would call it extortion. The father, and the brother are not that capable, and yet they try to do as much as they can so that it (the wedding) happens.”

The Aanand L Rai-directed movie, according to Akshay, is a "sensitive" one because hardly many films have been made about the issue. He says, “I'll believe I've made the largest movie ever if the movie appeals to even five to ten percent of viewers.” Sahejmeen Kaur, Deepika Khanna, Smrithi Srikanth, and Sadia Khateeb play Akshay’s on-screen sisters. The movie also features a love tale even though it centers on the unbreakable bond between a brother and his sisters.

Raksha Bandha is finally out in theatres competing with Laal Singh Chaddha starring Aamir Khan which was released today.