Actor Akshay Kumar has opened up on the reactions to his recent horror-comedy Laxmii. The film, which premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on November 9, follows a man, Asif (Akshay), who gets possessed by the ghost of a trans woman. Directed by Raghava Lawrence, Laxmii also stars Kiara Advani, Sharad Kelkar, Rajesh Sharma, and others.

Addressing the negative critical reception of the film, Akshay told Mid-Day, “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.”

Within hours of its launch, Laxmii was declared the biggest movie opening on Disney+ Hotstar ever. The film, according to Akshay, is also the biggest opening of his career.

“I am told it’s the biggest opening of my career,” the actor is quoted as saying. “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.”