In February 2018, a mainstream Bollywood film did something Indian cinema had never dared to do: it put a sanitary pad front and centre on a poster featuring one of the country’s biggest stars. Padman, directed by R. Balki and produced by Twinkle Khanna, was not just a box office release. It was a provocation aimed at one of India’s most entrenched silences — the taboo around menstruation.
The film is based on the real life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a school dropout from Tamil Nadu who spent decades — losing his family, his home, and his reputation — inventing a low-cost sanitary pad. Once mocked as a pervert by his own village, he was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2014. Akshay Kumar plays a fictionalised version of him, with Radhika Apte and Sonam Kapoor co-starring.
The problem the film was addressing
The taboo Padman confronted is not abstract. According to the National Family Health Survey, more than half of Indian women between 15 and 24 lacked access to hygienic menstrual protection at the time the film was released. Research found that nearly a quarter of girls in India missed school during their periods, and over 20% dropped out of school entirely after reaching puberty.
Without access to pads, women and girls resort to cloth rags — and in extreme cases, ash, sand, newspaper, and leaves. Lack of awareness about menstrual hygiene management has resulted in several young girls picking up infections from the usage of hay, straw, and sand as a replacement for sanitary pads. Medical practitioners note that reused, unwashed rags are a leading cause of urinary and vaginal infections in rural India, with poor menstrual hygiene linked to an estimated 70% of reproductive tract diseases in women.
The social dimension compounds the health one. In many rural communities, menstruating women are confined to a separate space — often outside the main home — and barred from the kitchen, places of worship, and contact with their own husbands. These are not cultural quirks. They are active restrictions on movement, dignity, and daily life.
What the film actually did
Padman grossed over ₹207 crore worldwide. More importantly, it sparked the #PadManChallenge on social media, with celebrities and citizens posting photos with sanitary pads to break the taboo.
Muruganantham himself wrote: “Yes that’s a pad in my hand and there’s nothing to be ashamed about. It’s natural! Period.”
The film’s release also accelerated policy movement. In July 2018, the Indian government removed the 12% GST on sanitary pads after widespread public pressure arguing that pads are not a luxury but a basic need. While the price benefit to consumers turned out to be modest — manufacturers lost input tax credit, limiting the pass-through — the symbolic weight of the decision was significant.
State governments of Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and several others launched programmes to promote manufacturing and distribution of sanitary pads through women’s self-help groups. Several municipal bodies, including South MCD, announced free pad distribution to school-going girls.
Where things still stand
The honest audit of Padman’s legacy is mixed. The conversation opened. The shame around saying the word “menstruation” publicly has genuinely reduced, at least in urban India. But access — the actual physical availability of affordable, hygienic products in rural and semi-urban India — remains the unresolved problem.
In rural India, 23% of girls listed menstruation as the chief reason for dropping out of school. Despite government schemes, 91% of women surveyed were offered no free menstrual hygiene products — and of the 9% who were, they weren’t given enough to see them through their monthly cycle.
The GST exemption was perceived as a major victory, but the actual benefit in price for the consumer was very small, because the exemption of GST implies denial of input credit to manufacturers on raw materials, keeping production costs effectively unchanged.
The film did what a film can do: shift the cultural temperature. It made a mainstream Hindi audience sit with a subject they had been trained to find unspeakable. That is not nothing. But Muruganantham’s own mission was never about award speeches — it was about a woman in a village having a clean pad when she needed one. That part is still unfinished.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the real person behind Padman? The film is based on Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social entrepreneur from Tamil Nadu who invented a low-cost sanitary pad manufacturing machine. He was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2014.
What is the main message of the Padman movie? Padman argues that menstruation is a normal biological process, not an impurity. The film challenges the social stigma that leads women in rural India to use unhygienic materials during their periods, and advocates for affordable access to sanitary pads.
What impact did Padman have on menstrual hygiene policy in India? Following the film’s release and the #PadManChallenge, the Indian government removed the 12% GST on sanitary pads in July 2018. Several state governments also launched programmes to distribute free or subsidised pads to school-going girls.
Who starred in Padman? Padman (2018) stars Akshay Kumar in the lead role, with Radhika Apte and Sonam Kapoor in supporting roles. The film was directed by R. Balki and produced by Twinkle Khanna.
How much did Padman earn at the box office? Padman grossed over ₹207 crore worldwide, making it a commercial success in addition to its cultural impact.
Where can I watch Padman? Padman is available to stream on ZEE5.
Also Read: HealthFab Raises ₹20 Crore to Take Reusable Period Products Mainstream
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in February 2018 and has been substantially updated and expanded by Mohammed Haseeb to reflect developments, including the GST exemption on sanitary pads, the #PadManChallenge, and the current state of menstrual hygiene access in India.
