“The government is uploading Toilet – Ek Prem Katha on pen drives and showing it in many villages” – Akshay Kumar

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

December 21, 2017 - 3:13 PM IST

As the tastes of the moviegoers have evolved, audiences are able to tackle newer and braver ideas. What’s interesting is that such films are even getting commercial success. Earlier this year, we saw Akshay Kumar working in a film called Toilet – Ek Prem Katha that talked about open defecation and how it should be discouraged. Despite such a topic, it emerged as a huge hit and even became Akshay Kumar’s biggest hit. And now, he’s back with Pad Man that is inspired from the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who made low-cost sanitary napkins.

“The government is uploading Toilet – Ek Prem Katha on pen drives and showing it in many villages” – Akshay Kumar

The trailer of Pad Man has been loved and at the launch of the song ‘Aaj Se Teri’, a reporter asked what steps are they going to take to ensure the film reach those who really need awareness about the film. Pad Man speaks about the taboo surrounding sanitary pads and how in rural areas, women resort to unhygienic ways during menstruation. These strata of society often don’t watch films in theatres. Akshay Kumar replied, “My earlier Toilet – Ek Prem Katha also had a social message and it was shown on Doordarshan. Also, the government is uploading the film on pen drives and showing it in many villages to spread awareness about use of toilets. I am hoping that something similar would happen with Pad Man too. Our aim is not just to earn money but to take this film to places where it will make an impact. I’ll personally ensure this happens and would also appeal to the government to help me in my endeavour.”

Arunachalam Muruganantham got prominence thanks to Twinkle Khanna who wrote about him in her second book ‘The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad’. Her story has been adapted partly for Pad Man and she is also one of the film’s producers. Twinkle was present at the event and she stated, “Yesterday, we spoke to the various ministries and we are going to make sure that school girls, principals etc, see Pad Man so that it penetrates where it has to. If nothing else, we are at least hoping that a conversation starts where the same girls who can’t afford sanitary pads can now go to the parents and say, ‘Look we don’t need fairness creams, we need sanitary pads because we need to go to school so that ultimately we can get into the work force’.”

Pad Man co-stars R. Balki and Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte and releases on January 26, 2018.