Even thought Laxmii was widely panned upon release, actor Sharad Kelkar’s extended cameo was among the few aspects of the movie that was appreciated. Sharad appears in the film as a trans person named Laxmi, whose tragic back story makes for the heart and soul of the film.
In an interview, Sharad spoke about the challenges of taking on the role, which many turned down, and whose ‘review’ meant the most to him. He told Pinkvilla, “It is a mixed review I think. It is a big film, a lot of effort has gone into it. The kind of response the film is getting and Akshay sir is getting, I am very happy with it.”
He said that he values his wife’s opinion the most, and described her as ‘my partner, my guru’ and the one person who’s taught him the ‘basics of acting’. He said, “She watched the film and was crying and hugged me saying she is proud of me. I think that was it. That for me was the biggest compliment.”
Previously, star Akshay Kumar had addressed the negative reviews, and said that he makes films for the audiences and not critics. He’d told Mid-Day in an interview, “I feel great. 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.” He said that he strives to make films that leave an impact on the audience.
Laxmii, a remake of the Tamil film Kanchana, was released on November 9 on Disney+ Hotstar. The streaming service claimed, without disclosing figures, that the film registered the biggest opening on the platform.
