One of the most awaited movies Pad Man released nationwide on Friday. The movie that talks about ‘those days of the month’ was well received in the city of lakes. Starring Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte and Sonam Kapoor the movie is directed by R Balki.
It is based on a short story in Twinkle Khanna's book The legend of lakshmi Prasad and is inspired by the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social activist from Tamil Nadu. Arunachalam Muruganantham revolutionized the menses hygiene in rural India.
Akshay plays lakshmikant Chauhan, a school drop-out who works as a mechanic. He has just got married and is smitten by his wife Gayatri, played by Radhika Apte. To start with the film, the audience enjoys a ‘lovy-dovy’ relationship between a husband and a wife. But, when lakshmikant’s wife realizes that her husband is obsessed with women’s problems, things turn out to be difficult for lakshmi.
On his life’s journey, lakshmi realizes that there is a need of mesurational hygiene and awareness in his village. He tries experiments on himself to understand what women go through during those days of the month’.
The film traces lakshmi’s fight with the society, his family and even his wife and his own financial and educational limitations.
Shalini Gupta, a theatre actor from Bhopal has also played a pivotal role in the movie. While talking with The Pioneer, Shalini said, “I watched the first day first show of the movie Pad Man. In my entire life it was the first movie of which I saw first day first show.” She further elaborated, “The movie is brilliantly made, there is no sense of shame seen in the entire movie. As I was watching the movie, I rejoiced the old days of shooting,” she added.
As she talked about the reaction of the audience, she said, “Interestingly, I and my friend were the only ladies in the entire hall. Else there were youngsters and mostly males were watching the movie. I felt good when I heard words of appreciation from the audience.”