PadMan Movie Review: Akshay Kumar As Lakshmikant Drives Home a Significant Message

Not all heroes wear capes and Akshay Kumar's character Lakshmikant is one such man. Kudos to the original superhero Arunachalam Muruganantham for his work! 

Kudos to R Balki for making #AkshayKumar a "superhero" in true sense. #padman

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

If Akshay Kumar owns the film, it's Radhika Apte and Sonam Kapoor's energy that keeps the narrative flowing. 

@sonamakapoor's Pari and @radhika_apte's Gayatri keep up the remarkable energy throughout every moment they spend on screen. #padman

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

Akshay Kumar delivers a fine performance and leads a film that's perhaps a much-needed step in the direction of breaking taboos around menstruation in India. 

@akshaykumar delivers a dynamic performance in this much-needed film that breaks the taboo around menstruation with utter grace and finesse. #padman

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

Akshay Kumar now delivers a monologue to break taboos around menstruation. 

Lakshmikant's speech at UN breaks the taboo on any discussion of menstruation. #padman

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

Here's another song titled Hu Ba Hu from the film which shines a spotlight on Sonam and Akshay's common goal. 

PadMan marks the debut production of Twinkle Khanna and the actor-turned-author said she's hopeful that the film will bring a spotlight on something that has been hidden in the darkness for so long. "If nothing else, I am hoping that it will start a conversation within homes. Something that has been hidden in the darkness, furtively wrapped in newspaper, will finally be in the spotlight so that a young girl can go up to her parents and say that she needs sanitary pads over the ubiquitous fairness creams," she had said.

Sonam and Akshay as Pari and Lakshmi are now on a joint mission to provide sanitary pads across villages. One for the cause! 

Though the film gets a little slow in the second half, Balki makes sure the audience doesn't lose interest as he sends Sonam's character to Lakshmi's village to help him fulfill his dream. #padman

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

In case you missed out, here's the romantic track titled Aaj Se Teri, co-starring Akshay Kumar and Radhika Apte in key roles. 

Sonam Kapoor's character Pari brings in the much-needed revolution in the film but as it turns out, Akshay Kumar continues to own the film. 

Sonam Kapoor's character is a breath of fresh air in this movie but it's undoubtedly #AkshayKumar who totally owns #padman.

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

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Sonam Kapoor, who plays Pari in the film, only arrives in the second half. Let's see what her performance has in store for the viewers. 

#SonamKapoor's entry is not as impressive as I expected. Well, let's see how her character builds up in the film. #padman

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

R Balki, in an interview, explained the similarities he saw between Akshay and Muruganantham. "We all know Akshay Kumar is a huge star and a good actor, but I think he is a magnificent actor. Most people make a lot of fuss about theories of acting, schools of acting and intellectualized cinema, he doesn't do anything that's why he is lot like Muruganatham. He just keeps on doing it and he doesn't talk about it. When an actor doing a biopic of a person, it is very tempting for an actor to study his body language and to see how he talks or walks but Akshay didn't look any of that. He just listened to what kind of character and human Murugantham is," he had said. 

In an earlier interview, Akshay Kumar was asked about if he wanted to reach out to the government to cut down on GST rate of sanitary napkins, the actor had firmly replied, "Why just cut down on GST? I think women should have free access to sanitary napkins. This is their basic necessity. It is about menstrual hygiene and not luxury. It is unfortunate and I am ashamed to say that 82 percent women in this country have no access to sanitary pads and they are mistreated during those five days of their menstruation period. This is unfortunate," he had said.

It's halftime and as the reviewer suggests, the pre-interval scene is one of the most important moments to look out for. 

The pre-interval scene of #padman is the most powerful few minutes I have witnessed in the recent past. Kudos to #AkshayKumar.

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

In case you missed out, here's The Pad Man Song which introduces us to the quirks of Akshay Kumar's character Lakshmikant. 

Padman has so far impressed with strong performances and worthy music scores. Akshay Kumar paints a believable picture while Radhika Apte delivers what the character demands.

Till now Akshay as Lakshmi is believable, makes me believe he's actually going through whatever his character is going through. #RadhikaApte as Gayatri is overly melodramatic but that's what her character demands. @ItsAmitTrivedi 's music adding purpose to this drama #padman

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

Radhika Apte, who plays a key role in the film, had earlier said that the menstruation taboo has not only existed among men but also among women who are conditioned for years not to talk about the natural process openly. "Mothers taught their daughters how not to talk about it openly, not to go to the kitchen or not to enter the temple. So it does not just exist among men but women as well. Though I think one film cannot bring all the changes to a practice that is happening for ages, if people start talking about menstruation comfortably, be aware of the importance of menstruation hygiene, it would be more than enough for us. And it is also about the journey of an individual who struggled through his life for a cause. It is an incredible story," she had said in an interview. 

The healing power of humour is well known but it looks like R Balki has used humour to drive home a significant message this time. 

"Iska bhi test match start ho gaya."
It's interesting too see how humour often gives director a freedom to say what is normally unsayable (for some hypocrites). #padman

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

Just before the official release, the makers of PadMan initiated a PadManChallenge on social media wherein they challenged other actors to post photographs with sanitary pads in their hands. Several celebrities including the likes of Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Anushka Sharma, Varun Dhawan, Aamir Khan and Deepika Padukone had accepted and participated in the challenge. While some social media users appreciated the challenge, others termed it a "marketing gimmick" and criticised the team for wasting pads just for photographs. 

Thank you for tagging me @murugaofficial
Yes, that’s a Pad in my hand & there's nothing to be ashamed about. It's natural! Period. #PadManChallenge

Copy, Paste this & Challenge your friends to take a photo with a Pad!

Here I am Challenging @aamir_khan @AzmiShabana @hvgoenka pic.twitter.com/QXYBwVfYV0

— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) February 2, 2018

Even in today's time, there's a stigma attached to menstruation and the film has gotten that part right it seems. 

Neeji cheez (private stuff), Auraton ki cheez (women's stuff)... all these words in the film depict the awkward silence around menstruation and sanitary pads. #padman

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

Akshay Kumar plays Lakshmikant, a dedicated family man, an understanding husband, and a creative innovator. His character does sound like an ideal man! 

Don't know if I should feel sad seeing how backward we are as a society or be happy that we have this supercool #padman now! Akshay Kumar as Lakshmikant is every woman's dream man. #Pamdan

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

Interestingly, PadMan has also become the first Bollywood movie to release in Russia, Ivory Coast and Iraq on the same day as it hits the screens in India. The news was shared by the film's producer Twinkle Khanna on Twitter.

I once told my Pad Man that I will take him places.. Well, not only will Pad Man release in 50 countries all over the world but It is Bollywood’s first film that will be releasing day and date in Russia, Ivory Coast and even Iraq #padman9thfeb @SonyPicsIndia @PadManTheFilm pic.twitter.com/JpT5nYzJ9w

— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) February 7, 2018

From promoting the movie via a campaign called #PadManChallenge on social media to collaborating with spoken word poet Aranya Johar for a powerful poem #BleedingRani, Akshay has so far successfully managed to create enough buzz and conversation around the film. 

Looks like Akshay Kumar and Radhika Apte's chemistry will play a key role in the film. 

#ArijitSingh's soulful track opens this long-awaited social drama. #AkshayKumar and #RadhikaApte make for a lovely couple in this romantic number. #padman

— Shrishti Negi (@shrishti_03) February 9, 2018

"When I started, I never imagined that a movie will be made on my story," wrote Arunachalam Muruganantham on Twitter. With a hope that the film starts a conversation, Muruganantham on Thursday night thanked the entire team of PadMan including Akshay Kumar for leaving his comfort zone and Twinkle Khanna for taking up his story.

It’s going to be an emotional day! @akshaykumar @mrsfunnybones @sonamakapoor @radhika_apte @pcsreeram @ItsAmitTrivedi @PadManTheFilm #PadMan pic.twitter.com/TZUQTXQCcT

— A Muruganantham (@murugaofficial) February 8, 2018

In case you missed out, here's the trailer of the film that has created quite a stir on social media even before its official theatrical release. 

PadMan is based on a short story in Twinkle Khanna's book The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad and is inspired by the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social activist from Tamil Nadu, who invented a low-cost sanitary pad manufacturing machine to bring a menstrual hygiene revolution for women.

R Balki's PadMan, co-starring Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte in key roles, is all set to hit the theatres today after pushing its release date to secure a solo release for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat.