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IT’S AN UNLIKELY scene in deeply conservative India: A hugely popular Bollywood male star grinning widely as he holds up a sanitary pad and talks of menstrual hygiene.
But that’s exactly what action hero Akshay Kumar did as he promoted his film Pad Man, which opened in cinemas earlier this weeky. Kumar plays the lead role of a man who starts manufacturing inexpensive sanitary pads after he discovers his wife’s lack of access to them in a small town in southern India.
The subject of menstruation and menstrual hygiene is rarely, if ever, discussed openly in Indian homes.
At pharmacies and department stores, tampons and sanitary pads get the same treatment reserved for condoms — they are handed to customers discreetly wrapped in black plastic bags kept on hand simply for the purpose of saving them any embarrassment.
In many homes women are barred from temples and religious rituals as well as cooking or entering the kitchen when they have their period.
So Kumar and his film are definitely breaking ground in cleaving through the layers of taboo.
“Yes, these are pads. Yes, they belong to these amazing women. Yes, they were happy to lend me one so I could stand with them in support of this much needed initiative,” upcoming Bollywood actor Siddharth Malhotra tweeted along with a photo of him surrounded by female fans as he held up a sanitary pad.
Parineeti Chopra / Twitter
Parineeti Chopra / Twitter / Twitter
Malhotra isn’t the only mainstream star to speak up about menstruation. Dozens of other Bollywood actors and actresses have tweeted photos of themselves holding up sanitary pads as they gave the film a shoutout. Radio talk shows have been discussing the film and the shame generally associated with the subject in India.
“This, I think is the biggest achievement of #PadMan…men and women breaking the taboo,” Kumar, 50, tweeted of his film.
sridevi sreedhar / TwitterA big round of applause for @sathyam_cinemas 👏👏👏 From today, free sanitary napkins inside ladies restroom. A day when #Padman releases worldwide ... a great initiative by #teamsathyam 👍👍👍 pic.twitter.com/vS5o8jCyS8
— sridevi sreedhar (@sridevisreedhar) February 9, 2018
The film is loosely based on the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who invented a machine to make sanitary pads at a fraction of the cost of most commercially available products, when he found that his wife was forced to use rags and newspaper during her period.
RSPrasad Office / TwitterOn release day of movie #Padman @CSCegov_ operators of Odisha organised sanitary pad distribution stalls outside movie halls. #StreeSwabhiman pic.twitter.com/BwpPQ7N7yC
— RSPrasad Office (@OfficeOfRSP) February 9, 2018
Kumar’s wife, the novelist and one-time actress Twinkle Khanna, wrote a book on Muruganantham’s life, prompting her husband to make it into a film.
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The instinct for survival is astonishing.
God doesnt cause earthquakes Einstein.
Its called a Natural Disaster
Einstein didnt believe in God
Bear Grylls will be proud.
It’s full of protein.
hopefully not the only survivor, well done to those involved with saving him!
Guess god is not available right now. But you will be sure his reps will be!
On the piss.
Hopefully in this case it is a case of not able to reach communication. Devastating event. One thing I have noted is the different countries all working together to help the people. Long may of continue. I wonder will Daly and Wallace be protesting at the 2 US Boeing C-17 aircraft sent over to help in the effort if they refuel at Shannon?
@John Reese. Well said John. Also the Israelis have set up a field hospital operational to-day and treating 200.+patients per day. 130 medical team in a 230 group rescue group sent over.
_“The field hospital will deal with various types of medical issues that come up, including a surgical department, obstetrics, a laboratory for blood samples, and other emerging medical issues,” said Weiss. “We also have an eye doctor and other types of specialists.”
There will be 60 beds and the capacity to treat at least 200 people per day.”
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@John Reese. Well said John. Also the Israelis have set up a field hospital operational to-day and treating 200.+patients per day. 130 medical team in a 230 group rescue group sent over.
_“The field hospital will deal with various types of medical issues that come up, including a surgical department, obstetrics, a laboratory for blood samples, and other emerging medical issues,” said Weiss. “We also have an eye doctor and other types of specialists.”
There will be 60 beds and the capacity to treat at least 200 people per day.”
@John Reese. Well said.
Guess God wasn’t available .
have your say