Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; August 28, 2017)

From speaking up about depression to launching social campaigns against sexual and physical abuse — Bollywood celebrities have often used their stardom for a greater good by championing causes that need addressal, thus becoming catalysts for change.

Taapsee Pannu is the latest to join the bandwagon. The actor has joined hands with the students of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai in their endeavour to promote sanitary education among women. The initiative also includes distribution of sanitary napkins in villages.

The actor reveals that she aims to remove the stigma attached to menstruation. "I have never understood why menstruation has been a taboo subject, people don't want to come out in the open and talk about it. Women often use code language to talk about it. That's probably one of the reasons why the sanitary health of women has not really improved over the years," Pannu analyses.

She feels the first step towards improving sanitary health is to address it openly. "It's a natural aspect of womanhood. It needs to be discussed, so people understand it better." Pannu thinks it is noteworthy that the young students are driving the attitudinal change. "It's a delight when young minds work hard to create awareness about such issues."