A shout out to all Akshay Kumar fans. The actor has decided to release two of his films on Republic Day, 2018. Both 2.0, starring Rajnikanth and Padman are set to release this coming January on 25th and 26th respectively. Padman, the biopic has already sparked started a debate with just a poster out. Most of you have probably failed to notice, but the poster of the film lacks one important element that the film is based on.
Padman is the story of Arunachalam Muruganantham, the Tamil Nadu-based social activist who revolutionised the concept of menstrual hygiene in rural India by creating a machine that can make low-cost sanitary napkins. This R Balki film also stars Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte just in case you were wondering but you wouldn’t be able to figure that out from the poster of the film.
Now, that is sure to raise some eyebrows on social media right? Because how is this film a tribute to a feminist man and is supposedly meant to convince men and women across India to do away with the taboo surrounding menstruation and menstrual hygiene. We do get it that the eye-opener that this film is, it is meant to revolve around the central character of Arunachalam, but maybe a woman or two peeking from somewhere could have done no harm? Or is that too much sense for you to handle, Bollywood?
One such Twitter user decided to point out the same:
It requires guts to be a part of a women centric film like #Padman @akshaykumar continues to push the envelope of novelty..can’t wait!! pic.twitter.com/Z1Wrf4gtIn
— Faridoon Shahryar (@iFaridoon) October 29, 2017
And then someone rightly pointed out: “But where are the women?”
But where are the women?
— Suvojit (@suvojitc) October 29, 2017
People were busy criticising Akshay Kumar
It takes guts for a male star to do women-centric movies where he is the only one featured in the poster while the women (Sonam, Radhika) are ignored.
Hats off to @akshaykumar for pushing the envelope. pic.twitter.com/iZLZJdKuEH
— Od (@odshek) October 29, 2017
Others were using sarcasm 101
Sonam looking lovely
— Sahibaan (@desigirl_sa) October 29, 2017
And people (Read: fans) had to side with Aki for attempting a film on such a topic
A film on periods has never been attempted by a superstar anywhere in the world. This is a big step in misogynistic Bollywood.
— Jigsaw (@BornToWhine) October 30, 2017
Because in Akshay’s defence, surely he wouldn’t have designed the poster, so why troll him?
I am no @akshaykumar fan boy. I doubt he had any role in the poster making apart from posing. It’s the whole system and it’s consumers.
— No Roman King (@NoRomanKing) October 29, 2017
And just like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha needed Akshay Kumar’s character to drive the nail home, Padman must also be telling the story of a woman’s issue through a man’s perspective, right?
Movie name is Pad Man don’t think it will b women centric. Must b 4women thru Akshay’s character (like Toilet)..nevertheless novel concept!
— Rahul Parekh (@rahul62280) October 29, 2017
Others are just applauding the social progress, since a movie dedicated solely to menstrual hygiene is a positive for starters in an industry that revels in doing male-centric stories
let me know. I can’t stand his skewed ideas of feminism and social *cough* progress.
— Chhavi (@chhavi) October 30, 2017
Also Read: How not to apologise for sexual assault: This woman’s viral tweet is a must read for everyone
And superstars may repeatedly attempt movies with a social cause for whatever reasons, but isn’t Bollywood responsible for paying attention to what example they are setting on women-centric issues?
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