Akshay Kumar is one of the most bankable stars of Bollywood and the superstar has had a golden run at the box-office since many years. However, the actor's latest transgender flick with Kiara Advnai has received mixed reviews upon its release. The Khiladi of Bollywood is rather unfazed by the performance of his movie. When quizzed about Laxmii failing to win over the critics, Akshay stated that his focus is on the audience. “I know a lot of critics don’t like my films, and I understand it. But my focus is on my audience. I am told it’s the biggest opening of my career. The film achieves something pivotal. Having a transgender protagonist normalises and reinforces the rights of the LGBTQ community. Be it with PadMan or Toilet: Ek Prem Katha or Mission Mangal, the idea is to do more than just entertain or deliver a box-office success. I want to make a difference,” he added.
Laxmii is about a man whose body is possessed by the spirit of a trans person who wants vengeance. Akshay had earlier described the character as ‘the most mentally intensive role’ he has ever played. The film has been directed by Raghava Lawrence and is a remake of his Tamil hit Kanchana. The OTT platform had said the film broke all records within hours. “#Laxmii breaks all records to become the biggest opening movie ever on Disney+ Hotstar VIP! Thank you for all the love. Subscribe now to watch the entertainment blockbuster of the year,” the official handle had tweeted. Two days into its release, the film Laxmii has been dismissed as “trash” and “nonsense” by most reviewers. It’s been called a terrible film on every count – be it the story, its execution, performance and dialogues. The film received 1-star rating on IMDb. Apart from Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani, Laxmii also features Sharad Kelkar, Ayesha Raza Mishra, Ashwini Kalsekar, Rajesh Sharma, and others in pivotal roles.