Pad Man

Laxmikanth Chauhan, portrayed by Akshay Kumar, is a dedicated partner and tool operator at a workshop, who stands firmly against the societal norms that dictate harsh treatment towards women during their five-day menstrual cycle. After marrying his wife, Gayatri, he is determined to improve her menstrual experience, realizing she uses unhygienic dirty cloths instead of sanitary napkins. However, upon purchasing a packet of sanitary napkins, Gayatri expresses her discontent over the price, prompting Laxmi to take matters into his own hands.

Undeterred, Laxmi embarks on a journey to create affordable sanitary napkins. Despite his attempts to persuade Gayatri to use his homemade product, the initial results fall flat, leading him to seek feedback from the community. Unfortunately, he faces criticism from his sisters and is met with a lack of support when his local doctor is transferred. Not one to give up easily, Laxmi manages to convince a medical student to involve her peers, only for them to refuse his request.

In desperation, he even tries to persuade a young neighbor, newly acquainted with menstruation, to test his invention. This bold move, however, leads to embarrassment when Laxmi’s endeavors are discovered, nearly resulting in the family’s ostracization. The tipping point arrives when he experiments with his own product, ultimately resulting in a humiliating leak witnessed by the entire village, culminating in a Panchayat meeting to address his “scandalous” invention.

As Laxmi faces rejection from his community, he remains undeterred. Forced to leave his village, he relocates to the city, taking on a job as a house helper to fund his research into materials that would make effective sanitary napkins. Through resourceful searches, he identifies a U.S. company specializing in cellulose fibers and manages to secure samples to experiment with.

With limited funds, Laxmi then takes a plunge, borrowing money to construct a pad-making machine. After countless trials and errors, he successfully creates a working prototype, ready to share with the world. His path intersects with Pari Walia, a Tabla performer in town for a gig, who encounters Laxmi one day when her aides are unable to find sanitary supplies.

Intrigued by Laxmi’s story and motivated by the cause, Pari initially reacts with skepticism but ultimately becomes inspired by his passion. Upon learning about his significant debt incurred while pursuing his dream, she extends an invitation for him to showcase his invention at an IIT Delhi innovation competition, where he impressively demonstrates production cuts of sanitary pads from Rs 11 to just Rs 2. His innovation earns him the prestigious President’s award.

Despite this achievement, Laxmi remains focused on providing solutions for women across India rather than cashing in through patents or corporate sales. Pari is captivated by his vision and decides to join him, shifting from a corporate lifestyle to actively sell his product, which they brand “Pari.” Their efforts lead to an incredible surge in sales, allowing them to employ a growing number of women in their endeavor.

With a plan to approach a bank to facilitate the purchase of Laxmi’s machine by women, they create a cycle of employment and accessibility to sanitary products. Yet, complications arise when Pari develops feelings for Laxmi, sensing the tension with Gayatri’s return to his life.

In a climactic moment, Laxmi delivers a heartfelt address at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, where he is honored with the Padma Shri Award by the Government of India. Despite everything, Laxmi’s mission is clear: to uplift women by providing them with affordable sanitary products while challenging ingrained societal stigmas.

Last Updated: October 27, 2024 at 16:48