Padman is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language biographical comedy-drama film directed and written by R. Balki, featuring Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, and Radhika Apte in lead roles. It is based on the true story of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social entrepreneur from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, who invented low-cost sanitary pads to provide menstrual hygiene products to underprivileged women in rural areas.
The story starts in a village in Uttar Pradesh, where Lakshmikant Chauhan, a farmer and social activist, is concerned about his wife Gayatri's menstrual health. Gayatri uses a cloth during her periods and Lakshmikant realizes that this is not a hygienic option, and has adverse health effects. He tries to convince her to use sanitary pads, but she refuses as they are expensive and unaffordable.
Determined to find a solution, Lakshmikant starts experimenting with various methods to create affordable and reusable sanitary pads. His initial attempts fail, and he faces ridicule and ostracism from his village, who see him as a pervert trying to interfere with women's issues. However, Lakshmikant remains undaunted, and after many trials, he finally creates a low-cost sanitary pad-making machine.
Despite facing resistance from society, Lakshmikant persists in spreading awareness about menstrual hygiene and gains support from Pari (played by Sonam Kapoor), a social worker who helps him establish his business. However, his success brings him into conflict with a multinational company that wants to patent his invention.
The film highlights several social issues, such as menstrual taboos, lack of awareness about menstrual health, and the divide between urban and rural areas in India. It also showcases the perseverance and determination of a man who fought against all odds to improve menstrual hygiene in his community.
Padman was well-received by critics and audiences alike, and was praised for its sensitive handling of a taboo subject. Akshay Kumar's performance as Lakshmikant Chauhan was widely appreciated, and the film was seen as a milestone in the representation of women's issues in Hindi cinema.