Tweeting over? Now comes the real ‘Pad Man Challenge’

Celebrities and film stars holding up a sanitary pad and posting a video on Twitter or Facebook with a ubiquitous message (not repeating it for the sake of brevity) is like an echo chamber where the speaker is the listener, and vice versa. It works well inside the social media community, the cocktail circuit of South Mumbai and that ‘power-grid’ called Lutyens’ Delhi. But does it work for those who are not on Twitter or Facebook, don’t own a smartphone, and comprehend ‘handle’ to be something to hold and not follow?

Truth be told, how many of us had even heard of Arunachalam Muruganantham before Akshay Kumar’s ‘Pad Man’ started becoming part of the national conversation? Also, we should thank Akshay because if it wasn’t him and just another talented actor from the Marathi theatre world, then ‘Pad Man’ would have come and gone away like just another menstrual cycle.

 The social media campaign does help to create huge awareness among those living in the ‘connected’ world, but among the millions who are ‘digitally dark,’ the film is the medium, the message as well as the messiah.

‘Pad Man’ should be mandatorily shown in every district of India, become a part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and enter the KRAs of district magistrates. That is the real ‘Pad Man’ challenge – to deliver ‘Pad Man’ where timelines and handles don’t reach.

Celebrities and stars coming out for an issue always has an expiry date to it. Exactly for how long the ‘Pad Man’ challenge continues after the film runs its course is anybody’s guess.

But menstrual hygiene and awareness needs constant hammering-in and everyday mention. We urban Indians have a short collective memory and an even shorter attention span – the excitement surrounding a social/political/health issue runs only as long as the latest film on the subject does at our nearest multiplex.

In a recent article published in DNA, gynaecologist Dr Surbhi Singh wrote: “Unfortunately, studies have reported that 70 per cent mothers in India consider menses 'dirty' and 'polluting'.” That is a frightening fact. Menstrual hygiene and awareness need both the celebrity quotient of Akshay Kumar and the inspiring tale of Arunachalam Muruganantham to travel through the length and breadth of country. And we will have to follow them to the hinterland. So, get that tweet out of the way. Fast.

(The author is the Editor-In-Chief of DNA)