Pad Man is inspired by the life and work of Padmashri Arunachalam Muruganantham, who revolutionised the ease of access of affordable sanitary pads across the country.
The trailer of Akshay Kumar starrer Pad Man was released on 15th December on social media.
The 2.22 minute trailer shows a journey of the protagonist, who has a unique idea, who starts off from a small place, is ostracized in his attempts, and succeeds in the end just like a superhero. This helps in justifying the opening line of the trailer….
“America ke paas Superman hai, Batman hai, Spiderman hai... lekin India ke paas PadMan hai!”
The lead character of the film is positioned as a superhero, akin to the giants of the DC and Marvel Cinematic Universes.
Super heroes are ones who make another person’s life better. The capes, masks and costumes aren’t a requirement. A superhero can be anyone, even a man who manufactures affordable sanitary pads.
Here the villain is the taboo on menstruation and those who promote its taboo.
The Khiladi of Bollywood seems to have struck a chord with audiences in films creating awareness on social issues. After the success of 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha' which created awareness about the issue of open defecation, His next film, 'Padman' will aim to create awareness and normalise the discussion around menstrual hygiene and in doing so eradicate the taboo of menstruation hygiene that exists in parts of India.
18 years into the 21st century there have been attempts to break the stigma around periods, but it still exists. Films like Phullu (2017) have attempted to create awareness about menstruation in the form of films, but haven’t gotten the widespread attention that a film starring an A-lister like Akshay Kumar would. Hence the name Akshay Kumar is a major factor behind the trailer topping the list of trending videos on YouTube with 20,548,710 views in 48 hours.
Akshay Kumar in an interview said he believes that movies can be a powerful way to turn the tide on taboos.
"I didn't want to make a documentary," he said. "I wanted to make a commercial film so people can see it. It's a film you can take your children to, even though it talks about sanitary pads. It's a universal subject. Nobody has ever tried to touch this subject."
“The movie should enable audiences to start a discussion on women mensuration hygiene, a topic still considered taboo in many parts of the country.”
Directed by R. Balki and starring Radhika Apte and Sonam Kapoor in supporting roles with Amitabh Bachchan in a special appearance, Pad Man releases in cinemas on 25th January, 2018.
