With PadMan now finally in theatres, Twinkle Khanna's virtuosity as a producer and author is all set to be tested. I say author along with producer because while PadMan is her maiden production at Mrs Funnybones Films, the film is in fact based on a story from her book, The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad. Twinkle Khanna first stumbled upon Arunachalam Muruganantham's story - the man whose life PadMan is based on - while doing some research for a column on menstruation. Twinkle was was clearly inspired enough by it to then tell his story in her book and now convert it into a film.
"Period shaming" might not be a phrase that is used all that often, but the very concept of it is not one that is innocuous. Think walking into a store to buy something as essential as sanitary napkins and hesitating to say it loud enough for even the man at the counter to be able to hear you. Think the embarrassment with which the man finally having heard you quickly tells his helper to pack it in a 'black polythene'. And think walking out of the store, even more embarrassed because now everyone knows you're on your period. Your period - something that is not just natural, but the normalcy of which also indicates the health of a female to a large extent.