Guneet Monga ecstatic as her documentary is in the running for an Oscar
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 24, 2019)

Guneet Monga is “over the moon” since learning that her documentary short on mensuration, Period. End of Sentence, has been nominated for the 91st Academy Awards. The film features young girls and women from Hapur in Uttar Pradesh and talks about how low-cost sanitary pad machines impacted their lives.

One of the many executive producers, an elated Guneet told Mirror that late last year they learnt that they had made it to the top 10 in the Documentary Short Subject category. On Tuesday, they were informed that they are among the top five nominees. “I am also an Academy member and I get to vote too but not in this category,” she was quick to point out.

Guneet admits that in LA there have been several screenings of the shortlisted films, but she hasn’t had a chance to watch them. “But I will do that now,” she asserts, going on to recall her previous Oscar outing, an eventful one. “In 2010, I had a short film, Kavi, in the running for an Oscar and really wanted to attend the ceremony but had no money. The film was based on a kid from a slum and the government at the time, in particular Prithviraj Chauhan, the then Science and Technology minister, helped me get a visa and tickets. My stay in LA was sponsored by a travel company.”

This time, she wants to take the girl from the NGO, Action India, who facilitated the project, and Sneha, a girl who features in the film who is funding her training for Delhi Police by selling pads. “I want them at least on the red carpet,” she states.

She goes on to inform that some 12-14-year-old girls of Los Angeles’s Oakwood School through bake sales, kickstarters and yogathons raised, 40,000 dollars. They had read that there are girls in villages of India who are unable to attend school when they have their periods and decided to fund a couple of pad machines. These machines in India are made by Arunachalam Muruganantham. “They got in touch with the NGO which works in Hapur. When we learnt this, we thought of making a film about how these machines can impact lives and become a larger movement,” she says. They hired an award-winning director Rayka Zehtabchi who has just graduated from film school.

Quiz her on how she came on board and she says the mother of one of the girls, Stacey Sher, has produced Quentin Tarantino’s films. “She reached out to me saying her daughter and her friends were trying to make the movie in India and if I could help. I met them and came on board to produce it from India,” she explains, saying her associate Mandakini Kakar, also a young producer herself, did a lot of the research and ensured the women featured in the film were comfortable on camera. “It’s also Mandakini’s voice asking the women questions.”
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Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; January 24, 2019)

Guneet Monga was in Indore on Tuesday when she learnt that her production, Period. End Of Sentence, has earned a nomination in the Best Documentary Short Subject category of Oscars 2019.

As the congratulatory calls started pouring in, the producer celebrated by treating herself to golgappas. “I was in Indore to attend the wedding of Sneha Khanwalkar [musician] and Kanu Behl [director]. I did mooh meetha of all the guests by offering them paan,” laughs Monga.

A day later, she says the news has yet to sink in. “Last year, the film bagged several awards all over the globe. Now, this is the ultimate award ceremony,” says Monga, whose previous productions Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), The Lunchbox (2013), and Masaan (2015) have won acclaim at international film festivals.

The idea to make a film on the taboo that surrounds the subject of menstruation came from a bunch of school kids and their teacher, Melissa Bertin, at Oakwood School in Los Angeles. “When they learnt that girls in Hapur had to drop out of schools because of their menstrual cycle and the stigma associated with it, through the NGO, Action India, they decided to install a pad vending machine in the village.”

With barely a month to go for the ceremony, the producer wants the real- life heroes to be by her side on the big day. “I want them [girls from Hapur and Action India] to walk the red carpet. I have to start looking for sponsorships. Some do not even have a passport.”

Organising screenings of the film before the final voting on February 19 is also on the agenda.

Pad Man director R Balki and the original Pad Man, Arunachalam Muruganantham, in the wake of sanitary napkins being exempted from the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a decision that has been lauded by people across society, including activists
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; July 24, 2018)

Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said on Saturday after a meeting of the GST council that sanitary napkins were exempted from the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Previously, sanitary pads were charged at 12 per cent tax under the one-year-old GST regime, which attracted some serious criticism from various quarters of the society, including social activists, women and celebrities. The GST on sanitary pads has now been cut from 12 per cent to zero, which has evoked a positive response across the country.

In February this year, actor Akshay Kumar’s socially-relevant film Pad Man, eventually became a posterboy of the campaign, as it propagated menstrual hygiene and aimed at changing the taboos and stigma associated with periods. Delighted with the decision, Akshay tweeted, “One of those days when news brings tears of joy as a cause close to your heart gets fulfilled. Thank you, #GSTCouncil, for understanding the need for menstrual hygiene & exempting sanitary pads from tax. I’m sure crores of women in our country are silently sending gratitude your way.” Twinkle Khanna, the producer and writer of the film, too welcomed the decision. She wrote, “When I raised questions about why there was GST on sanitary pads I had a large number of people barking at me. Glad to see positive results finally #PadManTalks.”

Talking to BT from London, director of Pad Man, R Balki said, “I am so pleased with this news. Pad Man has woken up a lot of people and sensitised them to the important matter of menstrual hygiene. This proves once again that cinema can create real and positive change!”

Social entrepreneur and inventor Arunachalam Muruganantham (below; left), whose heroic real life story and initiative towards the cause inspired Pad Man, spoke to this paper. He said, “I welcome the withdrawal of GST on sanitary pads. Now India can truly become a superpower by empowering every woman in this country. Now, every woman will be a superwoman. Everyone will have access to sanitary pads as the prices are bound to come down by 10 to 15 per cent. Girls won’t have to skip schools owing to periods. This will enable the country to become academically strong. Credit goes to the central government and the finance minister for making this happen. Even the United States of America hasn’t done this yet. I am extremely proud of our country and its people.”

Speaking about the film, he added, “What we couldn’t achieve in so many years, a film like Pad Man has managed to do – spreading the required awareness. Balki and I continue to advocate the cause, even after the film has released. We still talk about it and the conversation needs to go on. This move will ensure menstrual hygiene even at the grass-roots levels. Even today, Akshay Kumar calls me to discuss matters related to this issue.”

While many have embraced the government’s initiative, there are some who wonder if the raw material needed to manufacture a sanitary pad should also be exempted of taxes. Mumbai activist Suhani Jalota, whose NGO Myna Mahila Foundation (below) works closely towards this cause, said, “The raw materials for sanitary napkins are used to manufacture many other products, not just sanitary napkins. So, I don’t know if it is feasible. Overall, the GST wasn’t the largest cost burden, so this move wouldn’t necessarily change the prices much. Let’s see how the manufacturers react to this change.” She added, “This is a good signal from the Government that they are responding to the public. Lower tax rates on sanitary napkins were needed to help reduce prices on the necessity product, however the manufacturing cost may increase.”

Deane De Menezes, Founder of ‘Red Is The New Green’ campaign and recipient of the Queen's Young Leader Award, who works towards installing sanitary napkin dispensers and incinerators in Mumbai’s schools welcomes the move. Her campaign stresses on another bigger issue which is disposal of sanitary napkins. She told BT, “The decision of the GST Council to remove the tax is a good move. Nobody should miss out on an opportunity because of lack of affordability, as menstruation is a normal bodily function. This is definitely a step in the right direction towards making our country period positive.”

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; February 19, 2018)

Over the last few years, Akshay Kumar has become synonymous with films that highlight societal norms. Whether it was a Toilet: Ek Prem Katha in 2017 or Pad Man this year, it is evident that the Bollywood superstar is veering towards subjects that prompt people to take notice of traditional societal practices that need to change with time. However, he is one of the few actors whose association with such films doesn’t end with its release. Within the next few days, he will shoot a documentary for the Indian government on sanitation. In a freewheeling chat, he tells After Hrs why his work doesn’t end with the film’s release and how his son, Aarav, gave him a pat on his back after watching Pad Man.

Pad Man has been widely applauded. Do you think you have achieved what you had set out to do?
I’m happy that people have watched the film because it means that menstrual hygiene isn’t a taboo topic anymore. My family never spoke to me about sanitary pads, but in my house, there’s nothing that my wife, Tina (Twinkle Khanna) and I hide from our kids, especially our son Aarav because he’s older now.

Does a movie with a social message affect you personally?
Yes, to a certain point, it does affect me. When you take up a film like Pad Man, you start learning about facts and real stories — this maid’s story, that villager’s story, some girl who committed suicide because somebody teased her about menstruation — and all of this makes you think. You feel so strongly about such things that you just want to push this film.

Even with biopics, you tend to pick untold stories of lesser-known people. Is that a conscious move?
Nobody knew about Arunachalam Muruganantham or the guy (Shivaram Narre) behind Toilet - Ek Prem Katha. I pick such stories because somewhere, their heroism is a matter of pride for me. When I come to know about them, I feel like bringing their stories in front of people. Also, more than the people, it’s the cause that moves me, which is why I’m dedicated to a film like this. Pad Man addresses a huge issue.

There are actors who take up such social films and work towards a cause only till their film's release...
It’s not just a film or acting for me. Once the film releases, it doesn’t mean my job is over. In about four-five days, I will shoot a documentary for the Government about sanitation. Even Bhumi (Pednekar) has been asked to do it as a public service. I decided to take it up because I believed in it. I can’t even talk about what I’ve seen, read or heard about traditional menstruation practices. Around 42 crore women don’t use sanitary pads. Even if it changes three, five or 10 per cent, I would consider it great.

Initially, you were known for only action-oriented films. Now, that perception has changed...
That’s an achievement for me. When a filmmaker thinks about a film and feels that only I can do the role, it makes me happy. They won’t think that yeh toh comedy hai, tragedy hai, yeh villain ka role hai — they know they can come to me with all of it. I have done it with my hard work and my parents’ blessings. Earlier, there were so many films being made, but I would only get a small chunk of action flicks. The rest were taken up by other actors. I would never get them. That hunger got me to attempt different kind of movies. 

Do you take yourself seriously?
No, I don’t take myself seriously. I work in a good environment where I want to laugh and smile. I’m not that kind of an actor who would close the door and rehearse for a month for a role. I know actors who do it, but I cannot follow the same. I can work on it for four-five days, think about it, absorb the character and do it naturally. For me, acting isn’t work but my passion and it comes only when you are happy within. If you see me on the sets shooting, you will notice I smile, even while doing a serious scene.

Do you discuss your films with Twinkle or Aarav?
No! They just come and watch my films. When my son watched Pad Man, he came up to me, patted me on my back and said, ‘Dad, good job!’ So, he enjoys all the films that I do.

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; February 8, 2018)

When Akshay Kumar essayed the lead role in Toilet - Ek Prem Katha, we thought he had broken barriers. In his upcoming film, he wears a pink underwear with a sanitary napkin to drive home a point. Now, the actor is breaking ground. Some memes and mimes are calling it a ‘period’ film, we call it a landmark movie. It’s a film about the hygiene around a woman’s monthly cycle, a subject that men and women should have discussed together eons ago. It is about time they break the ice and bury the taboos. And it is about time that our superstars portray the real superheroes on screen. Move over, Superman and Batman, apna very own Pad Man is here. On the eve of his movie’s release, Akshay Kumar shares his thoughts on the asli hero (Arunachalam Muruganantham), the power of good cinema and the influence of the superwoman in his life, Twinkle Khanna. Read on…

This isn’t the story of the typical Bollywood hero, and neither is it a topic that is comfortably and openly spoken about. Tell us about your first reaction when Twinkle discussed it with you...
I believe in Twinkle’s decision, and I also believe that women understand things faster than men. So, when she told me the story and expressed her desire to make it into a film, I said, ‘Let’s go ahead and do it’. When I was trying to reach Arunachalam Muruganantham (the inventor of a low-cost sanitary pad manufacturing machine on whom the movie is based) to discuss it, he didn’t respond to me. Finally, Twinkle got through to him and he heard her out. Muruganantham doesn’t like talking to men, he believes that they are slow in such matters and it takes them a long time to understand.

The Pad Man challenge that has actors and people across society posing with a sanitary napkin in their hand has gone viral on social media. Was it your idea? It is indeed quite a movement on a subject that barely gets attention otherwise...
The whole idea started while we were shooting for Pad Man. We had taken some local actors for the shoot, and they had to hold a sanitary pad in their hand for a sequence, but they ran away because they didn’t want to do it. They said, ‘Hum paap ko apne haath mein nahin lenge’. That line stuck with me. Today, we have to break that belief and other taboos associated with it. When a man holds a sanitary pad in his hand and says that he is not ashamed of it — that is where the mindset begins to change. For me, Pad Man is already a hit, and it is not because of how much the film could earn, but because we have started a conversation that was much needed. The other day, I overheard a group of six-seven men talking outside my vanity van, and the topic of their discussion was sanitary napkins. Prior to this film, I have never heard men talk about sanitary napkins. Subjects like periods and sanitary napkins were spoken about in hushed tones. Twinkle’s conviction in the story gave me the power to do this film. Even when we were shooting the scene where I am wearing the pink underwear, it took me precisely 30 seconds to get into the part. Once Balki (director) started rolling the camera, it didn’t matter. Even if I have to wear pink underwear or a pad again, to bring awareness on menstrual hygiene, I will do it.

In an interview, Twinkle had said that humour, if used well, can explain and address almost any issue. Even while making a film like this, humour comes handy, right? While talking about serious social subjects, there is a fear of sounding too preachy…
You have to be true to the subject and the film. Yes, the film is entertaining, and there are emotions, songs, drama and tragedy, but we have treated the topic of menstrual hygiene with sensitivity and not tried to make fun of it. After Toilet - Ek Prem Katha released, I was told that a lot of people stopped going to villages to give bhaashans on things like shauchalay ghar pe banao, shauchalay saaf rakho, biwi ke liye yeh karo, woh karo... All they do is, raat ko parda (screen) lagatey hain aur Toilet - Ek Prem Katha dikhaate hain. Nobody is interested in listening to bhaashans, you’ve to talk to people in the way they understand best. The power of cinema is such that it enters deep inside and you can’t forget it. For instance, at some point, you must have read about the incidents that Airlift was based on, but I am sure that most of us wouldn’t remember it too well. But when it is made into a good, commercial movie, it stays with you. That is the impact of cinema.

Did Twinkle play a major role in your process of getting into the skin of the character? Did she spend a lot of time talking about how she has imagined your character, given that it’s her story and it is very close to her heart?
She was very involved as a producer. We always talk about a lot of things. Twinkle reads a lot, so she has more to tell me and I have a lot to learn from her. Whatever I have learnt on menstrual hygiene while making this film, I have learnt it from her. Before this film happened, I had never held a sanitary napkin in my hand. While growing up, no one in my family had told me to even buy one. I was aware that five-six dino ke liye periods aate hain. That’s all I knew. Somewhere, it is a man’s fault, and somewhere it is not entirely, because a subject like periods was not discussed in our homes from the beginning. Our mothers and sisters kept it a secret from the men of the house. That is the way it was, but we have to break those barriers in our minds, too. Men didn’t realise that periods is something that they need to know about and understand.

Talking about breaking barriers, you have spoken about how you have ‘deconstructed’ yourself. That’s a term that you have used in the past to describe the trajectory of your career. So, is a film like Pad Man a part of that effort?
I think that today, even if I am doing a film like Housefull, I will deconstruct myself and change the whole way of looking at it. When your work becomes your passion, everything changes. I wait to wake up in the morning and go to work. I ensure that I wrap up one film in two-and-a-half months, so that I can move on to my next film. That way, there is no time to get bored, because after shooting for a film for four months, it could get boring. I don’t give myself a chance to get bored of what I am doing.

But you were disciplined and hard-working even at the start of your career. At some point, you probably started believing that you had more potential than what we had seen. Could that be one of the reasons that urged you to rethink the choices in your career?
Yes, I was always disciplined, but when I started out, my purpose was to earn money. I think after movies like Sangharsh and Jaanwar (both in 1999), something changed for me. Then, acting ceased to be just a job and it turned into a passion. I started loving the process. Before that, it was like… chalo, let’s earn money. I will do some stunts, hang on to a helicopter, sing songs and go home. Also, at that point of time, I didn’t know any better. In a way, the industry folks and the media are also responsible for the switch that happened inside me. I was constantly called an action hero and my directors said that they wouldn’t cast me in a film, which had no action. I still remember that after looking at the rushes of one film, a director said, ‘Yaha movie dip khaati hai, ek kaam karo, Akshay ka action daal do’. I had become an actor who quickly filled in that space, so if the movie dipped at some point, they added my action scenes or songs there. So, a lot of things are responsible for the way I started viewing my career.

In one of our previous interviews, you had said that, ‘Every 10 years, there is a bus that drives into the next decade, and it is important to get on to that bus’. Well, we know that you are on that bus, but you are even driving it smoothly and the control is in your hands. That is different…
Well, actually, the 10-year-bus is a bigger bus; there is a mini bus which runs every year. It is important to catch both the buses. Sometimes, if you miss the mini bus, the next year will be a little difficult. But no worries, you will get a chance to hop on to the mini bus the year after that. The bigger bus is the one that you can’t miss, because that will be a big problem. This is how I view any kind of career, not just acting or the movies business.

Lastly, are you glad that you pushed the release date of your from January 26 to February and averted the big clash with Padmaavat? It just made better business sense, right?
I didn’t do it just from that point of view; I did it because of friendship. I have known Mr (Sanjay Leela) Bhansali for long and I have done two successful films (Rowdy Rathore and Gabbar Is Back) under his production. I couldn’t say ‘No’ to him. Most importantly, Padmaavat has gone through a lot and a huge amount of money has been invested in it. That money belongs to my industry, the movie industry. It is important that we support each other. Our industry needs to understand the fact that if any film works, it means the price and value of every actor and technician will rise considerably. With every film that works, the stock of the industry goes up. What generally happens here is that, when one actor or director’s movie doesn’t do well, I have heard people say, ‘Nahin chala, achcha hua’. They are not realising that the Bollywood stock will start dipping and it will obviously affect every actor in the industry. I wish to see a time when there is togetherness in the industry, so much that when someone’s movie is a hit, the rest of them rejoice and celebrate. If it doesn’t do well, they should mourn it, too. I feel blessed that I am getting so much support for my film and I am very thankful for that. If there is any kind of support that I can give any film, I will do it wholeheartedly. Any good and positive business person would think this way. Every film that works strengthens the industry.

R Balki says he wrote Pad Man script while Twinkle Khanna was writing a short inspired by Arunachalam Muruganantham, although they are distinct adaptations
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; February 6, 2018)

Even as fans await Akshay Kumar's upcoming biographical drama Pad Man with anticipation, cinephiles continue to harbour the notion that the film is a cinematic adaptation of a leaf off Twinkle Khanna's latest book. However, director R Balki tells mid-day that he wasn't abreast with Khanna's short story on the same subject when she requested him to draft a script for a cinematic outing.

Social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganthanam, who created a low-cost sanitary napkin-making machine, had caught the attention of Khanna. "Twinkle had met Muru [Muruganthanam] and she, along with Akshay, told me that they wanted to make a film on the man," says Balki. Given that the trio was involved in conversation with Muruganthanam as part of research for the film, Khanna decided to pen her short story for the book The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad, simultaneously.

"So, the book and the script were written at the same time. I didn't know what Twinkle was writing, and she didn't interfere with the script. Yes, we were having discussions about the man, but, I hadn't read the book and she didn't have a clue about the script. Surprisingly, we both finished writing at the same time." The exercise, as Balki calls it, made for an interesting observation for Khanna and him. "It is like having two different adaptations of the same man's life. One was literary, the other, cinematic."

However, the filmmaker asserts that his script, and hence the film, is also a reflection of Khanna's vision of the man. "Making a film on this person is an opportunity I didn't want to miss."

Lasyapriya Sundaram (BOMBAY TIMES; February 5, 2018)

With her recent professional choices, she may have silenced some of her harshest critics, but there’s a long way to go. Having earned a name for being the most stylish among the young crop of Bollywood stars, Sonam Kapoor, in her 10 years in the industry, has also managed to create a space for herself as an artiste. In a no-holds-barred chat with BT, the actress talks about the lessons learnt under the arc lights, how privilege gives her the opportunity to make brave choices and how the society we live in is deeply misogynistic. Excerpts…

Your film Pad Man chronicles the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who invented a low-cost sanitary pad-manufacturing machine. He is a man who set out to solve an issue — menstrual hygiene — faced by millions of women in our country. On a lighter note, do you think that the world would be a different place if men menstruated?
Absolutely! We won’t be reproducing as much (laughs). I don’t think that they could have handled it. Talking about Arunachalam Muruganantham, his life is inspiring and it’s amazing to have Akshay Kumar play him in Pad Man. He is one of the leading heroes of commercial cinema and when he is at the helm of affairs, the message reaches far and wide. Plus, it is entertaining as well.

Over the past few years, one has seen you become extremely selective about films. Having spent close to a decade in the industry, would you agree that your career can be categorised into the pre- Neerja and post-Neerja phase?
I disagree, because I think I had a pre-Raanjhanaa and post-Raanjhanaa phase. I would like to give credit to Aanand L Rai (director) and Himanshu Sharma (writer), more than anybody else. Of course, I would also like to take some credit for it (laughs). Before Raanjhanaa, I took a break for one-and-a-half years and that was when I realised that there are two sides to my ambition. One is to be the biggest superstar in the country and the other is to become the best possible artiste and human being that I can be.

As soon as I shifted gears from wanting to be famous to becoming a better actor, I became more successful. That’s the reason I got to work in films like Raanjhanaa, Khoobsurat and Neerja. I am extremely ambitious, but earlier, my ambition was misplaced. A lot of people tell my parents, ‘She is not ambitious enough. She doesn’t have the drive to be the biggest superstar.’ And, my dad (Anil Kapoor) replies, ‘You have no idea how ambitious my daughter is.’ I work very hard, but I do it for the right things. I will kill myself for a film like Neerja and for shooting in a place like Maheshwar for Pad Man. I want to work with artistes and filmmakers who challenge me as an actor and help me become a better artiste. I might not be the most talked-about celebrity, but that’s not what I am gunning for. It’s important that R Balki tells me that a role was written with me in mind or Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra says that he thinks of me first when it comes to casting for his film. That’s the kind of relationship I want with my directors and my audience.

While we have seen an increase in the number of women-oriented subjects, the roles written for heroines in films that are fronted by leading men still leave much to be desired. Do you think that’s changing, albeit very slowly?
I don’t know whether it’s changing or not, but I hope it is. Everybody tells me that I am born with a silver-spoon, and that I have my dad. I know that it gives me an advantage over a lot of young girls out there. And, given my position, if I don’t make brave choices, shame on me! I made those choices because I have a safety net, but I hope that it encourages other women to make braver choices. If I am doing a Neerja and a Veere Di Wedding and refusing to work in films where I am not being paid the same amount as the hero, perhaps I will start something new and set a precedent of sorts. I hope other girls aspire to do the same. I joined the industry when I was 17. I know a lot of girls who have made some stupid choices between the ages of 17 and 25. My parents tell me that I have not made that many mistakes. My 20s were amazing, but honestly, my 30s supersede my 20s. The other thing is, I want to be able to front films with another leading lady, like Kareena Kapoor Khan in Veere Di Wedding. We should set an example that it’s okay to work with other women and understand that another woman is not your enemy. In fact, if you get the support of another woman, there is so much that you can achieve.

In an industry where diplomacy is the keyword, you are known for speaking your mind. However, of late, have you decided to be more politically correct?
I was reading a book on the Ramayana that’s narrated from Ravana’s perspective. I wondered why he was such a hated man, though he was so accomplished. It made me understand that there are always two sides to a story, everything needs to be seen in context. So, when people tell me that I am not as politically incorrect as I used to be, I disagree. I see both sides now and I don’t believe in judging anybody.

That might be the case with you, but generally speaking, haven’t actors clammed up a bit in the past few years? Do they fear being misquoted?
I don’t clam up. I just feel, why should I talk about someone who is not relevant to my life? I can be politically incorrect about things that matter and are going to make a difference. Be it about ridiculous bans, the tax imposed on sanitary napkins or critiquing things that are unjust — I speak up on these things. At times, when I say something, it gets sensationalized because it makes for a good copy, but what I wanted to say gets sidelined. Also, I have never treated journalists as my enemies. I never take offense to anything they say because I know that they are doing their job.

Do you think Bollywood actors will come together and say Time’s Up to sexual offenders, like Hollywood showed its solidarity for survivors of sexual assault at the Golden Globe Awards this year?
I feel we are light years behind Hollywood when it comes to saying #TimesUp for sexual offenders. Eventually, it will happen. If something like that were to happen to me, I would talk about it because I am protected and I am also so-and-so’s daughter/granddaughter/niece/sister. People are scared of misbehaving with me. Two of my closest friends, Swara Bhasker and Jacqueline Fernandez, have had their struggles, but everybody needs to be ready to talk about it. Right now, it’s difficult to do that, given the misogynistic society we live in. India, in general, is male-dominated and subliminally, even women are chauvinistic. During the making of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, women were not allowed to be make-up artists. Strangely, the men were not against it, but there were women hairdressers who said, ‘Our sons are going to become make-up artists and their jobs will be gone.’ It’s up to the mother to tell her son that he’s not better than a girl, but they are equal. Daughters should also be made to understand their self-worth.

Along with your upcoming releases, there’s also a lot of buzz around your impending marriage. So, are you tying the knot?
Unfortunately for everyone, I have never spoken about my personal life in the last 10 years that I have been in the industry and I will not start doing it now. I cannot comment on whether I am getting married or not. It’s okay if people speculate, I am glad that they are talking about some positive things (laughs).

In an exclusive chat held at the mid-day office, writer and social-media sensation Mrs Funnybones Twinkle Khanna shines a light on fame and films, as she turns producer with the Akshay Kumar starrer 'Pad Man'
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; February 4, 2018)

You mentioned you haven't given an interview as a producer before. To ease you in therefore, how about we start with what I'm sure you've been asked all your life: Twinkle, are you really named after the nursery rhyme?
The apocryphal tales from my childhood would suggest that I was named (Twinkle) because it rhymed with sprinkle and sparkle. Luckily, I wasn't named Wrinkle.

What's wrong with Wrinkle?
Well, Wrinkle would just be slightly worse than Twinkle. At least, here you're shining, there you're sagging. Having said that, for very long, I didn't like my name. I fought against it. But as with everything else, my perspective (on this) was influenced as much by literature as life. I read Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter Of Maladies, which has a short-story about a girl with a fancy Bengali name, who insists on introducing herself to everyone as Twinkle - her 'pet name'. everyone is baffled by this, including her husband. And she's a popular, cool girl, who still insists on going by Twinkle. So I thought - if she's okay with it, I can pull it off as well!

Was there a connection between Twinkle (in that short story), and you? Did you ever meet or ask Jhumpa Lahiri?
Well I think there was a paragraph in there about an actress from Bombay, by the name of Dimple (Twinkle's mother). I guess she did kinda...

Oh, so there was a reference.
I don't know if it was completely directed at me. But it certainly did change my perspective!

The other name you're equally well-known by is Mrs Funnybones.
I seem to have a penchant for really funny names.

Now when you call yourself Mrs Funnybones, and write columns that are inherently funny, is there too much pressure to be funny at all times?
Now the good thing about hiding behind the persona of Mrs Funnybones - I mean that's not really me, it's a projection - is that I'm not supposed to be amiable, I'm just supposed to be myself. And cracking lame jokes comes easier to me than minding my P's and Q's, so I'm alright there. I used to feel the pressure in the beginning, but then realised that I just have to be myself, and really, how wrong can you go with that?

You've said before that since you were fat while growing up, humour became your natural defense mechanism. Is that cliche about fat people being funny really true?
It's not about fat people - it's about odd people being funny, while finding a way to fit in, making fun of others, before others can attack you. I mean, how non-conventional could I be? I was in a position where people would be nice to me, because of who my parents were. And they were also mean to me for the same reason. I had an odd name. I was the fattest girl, which is great, because I could sit on everyone in class, and beat them up. And I feel lucky to have been an oddball, forced to develop other skills. Because if I was really the prom queen, what would I be doing right now? Staring at my position - in my 40s, with the thing I banked on (beauty) depleting?

Going back to pressures of humour, I know stand-up comedians in particular, who are headaches to hang out with - they just keep thinking of repartees, comebacks, puns, during conversations. It's impossible to talk to them in a social setting!
Well, unfortunately, that describes me as well. And I do try really hard not to (fall into the trap), so I do my yoga to tell myself, "It's alright. I don't have to have the last, punch line!"

The other thing about humour is its decline that one senses in general. Would you agree?
You're telling me about it? (laughs). I definitely think so. But I'm divided on this (issue). There are certain things (we were used to) that I feel weren't politically correct -culturally, discriminatory, racist. And we're not okay with that anymore. But our funniest jokes used to be about other people. The other side of me feels sad, because we're losing that too. Or I'm losing opportunities!

There's also the element of an exponentially growing number of holy cows that you simply can't make fun of anymore. Or is that just a social-media thing?
My (Twitter) bio says that nothing is sacred, except laughter. And why do Hindu boys worship their mothers? Because their religion tells them to worship the cow! Clearly I'm the wrong person to talk to about holy cows.

Did you get trolled for it?
No!

Since you write opinion, that's the other thing happening, where every perspective is presently being boxed, while individuals are being conveniently reduced/diminished to labels: Bhakts, Libtards, and so on. Do you notice that?
I also see that if you write something 'Left-Liberal', as you'd call it, you get trolled majorly. I have a formula. Once I was writing a column about building a nation of tyranny on corpses of soldiers, and I began with saying that ornithologists can see a distinction between birds. I didn't get trolled, because most people didn't understand what ornithologist means, and they left it alone (laughs).

Politically, socially, your husband (Akshay Kumar) holds a totally separate world-view from yours. Is that fair to say?
I'd say our social, political ideologies, sense of humour, are very different. What's interesting is that after the first few years, we gave up trying to change each other. What we did instead was start to learn from each other. Luckily all his strengths are my weaknesses, and vice versa. What would I learn if we were more like each other anyway? I really believe two peas in a pod died of inertia. And we are not like that. So we continue to grow. Marriages essentially fail, when you try to clone the other person to become like you, it's not possible.

But he's protective of your public opinions, censoring your columns, we hear, cautioning you against going too far?
We're two different brains. Mine is a washing machine, whirling, chaotic. His thoughts are neatly folded in the closet of his mind. I need his stability to hem me in. He needs me to push him out of his comfort zone.



Why does it feel like we're reading a perfectly-worded column of yours?
What can I say, I'm smart, you don't get to meet too many of those (laughs). So in a certain situation, he's only trying to protect me from the fact that there'd be people throwing stones at our house. And I appreciate that. Because I could, sometimes, get into a lot of trouble on my own.

Well you do represent 'soft power' - having grown up in the limelight - which inevitably make for soft-targets. What's the worst sort of targeting you've faced for your opinions? Have they percolated offline?
Well I had an elderly lady accost me at a hospital once, while I was waiting for my mother-in-law's test reports, and she kept asking me what I had against Yogi Adityanath. And she was a really old lady, and I kept telling her this was not the right time, and she just went on regardless.

Given excessively famous parents (Rajesh Khanna, Dimple), I'm sure you've been used to this sort of intrusion all your life, no?
I had no choice over where I was born. But being married to a movie-star was my choice. Still it (intrusion) is not something I'm comfortable with. I prefer sitting behind my desk - that's my life. When I'm pushed out there, of course, I have, with time, developed the abilities to deal with it too.

One of the challenges of your life, you've said before, was to be normal. What did you mean by that?
I've had a turbulent life, first of all. I went from living in (my father's) mansion, going to school in a convertible, to shifting into my grandmother's house, where my sister and I would sleep on mattresses on the floor. I would go everywhere in rickshaws that I absolutely loved. My friends had nicknamed me 'Rickshaw Rani' for some reason. (This carried on) until I got the signing amount for my first movie, and I put a down-payment for my car - a white esteem, which was a big thing. I could have borrowed my mother's car. But we were raised in a certain way, seeing my mom working - raising not just me, but my sibling, and my grandparents. I realised early on that I needed to be financially independent. So I don't know if I've had that semblance of a normal life, if you know what I mean.

I read a lovely column of yours (it also had Akshay's story in it) about taking suburban trains, and was quite surprised that you did take the locals growing up.
How else would I commute? As I said, I had a convertible until I was 10, and then it vanished. But more than that, it was about a work ethic, and a mindset. I went to boarding school, the most defining time of my life, where I turned from a complacent child, who came last in a class of 37, to always being in the top three. Which is true for children in general - it's the circumstances that propel them to go either way, not just their abilities. So the misfortunes, that I thought were devastating, turned out to be assets.

Looking at the post 3 Idiots phase, where so much premium is put on 'passion', there must be kids who probably want to become engineers or doctors, but their parents will probably force them to become poets! That's a joke. But this actually happened to you; you'd scored 97 in math...
Yeah, I wanted to be a chartered accountant. But my mom didn't even pay attention (to that). The thought was just thrown out of the window. I had applied for my (CA) entrance exam, during my second year in commerce. And I used to keep getting these (film) offers. There was Time Machine, which Shekhar Kapur was making, that I said no to, and many others that kept coming.

So it was clear to your mom that you would be in the movies?
She told me that this is the time (that I can pursue movies). I can always do other things later. And it worked out. And like I said, I really wanted to get financially independent quickly, and this was a good way.

Here's something that you do in all your interviews: you totally downplay your acting career, as if it never happened, or say that you sucked at it. You've had 17 lead-actor credits against your name, that's a lot!
Were you writing reviews at that time?

No.
Otherwise, I would've asked if you've ever written a good review about me!

Well your last film, Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega (2001), was good. Shah Rukh Khan, for instance, is known as Baadshah (1999) for the film where you were the heroine...
What's the point of all these things? I don't even like my children watching my movies. And my son is such an a**. He keeps replaying a clip from the film Jaan (1996), where I am kissing around a man's nipple. He made a collage out of this for one of my birthdays. It's sick [laughs]. I don't think my family has been supportive of what you think has been a great career!

But you were pretty much in the thick of things back in that decade.
All I wanted to do was get back home. On sets, I would read books. There were times when I'd be sitting, and knitting, and my spot-boy would tell me, 'Aap mat aisa kariye. Sab log Auntyji bolenge.' So you had to live up to an image, and I wasn't that person.

If you felt like the 'outsider', you'd actually have the best observations to make. So much of writing is reminiscence, isn't it? Still, you've never written about showbiz/movies.
I couldn't really see people as clearly as I can now. Though, of course, you couldn't miss some people who were in a kaleidoscope of colours. I had a (male) co-actor who cancelled shoot, and he called me the next day to say that he was really sick, because he had a problem with his uterus [laughs]. I didn't really feel like saying anything after that.

What's the craziest story that you remember from a set?
This uterus story was really funny. And he (the same actor) always had strange medical issues. Once we were shooting in Switzerland, and after pack-up he said that his ear was numb, and the doctor was pleased that he got himself checked up in time - otherwise his brain would have dislocated! And I was like, this really can't be happening. So I have all these weird stories but somewhere, somehow, I don't enjoy writing about them.

Have things changed a lot in the movies since?
Well, I haven't produced any films, except Pad Man.

Are you going to disown Tees Maar Khan? You're credited as a producer there too, among a couple of other films.
My husband just put my name, because I was lucky for him [laughs]. I haven't done anything in Tees Maar Khan. Pad Man is the only movie I have produced. Well, the movie business has completely changed so far as women, and women's roles, are concerned. even the way women are treated has changed drastically.

Were women in the movies treated as dim-witted back then?
Yes, most of us were. Which is why you are surprised that I come up with these quotes!

Which brings me to a point about intelligence, and acting. How intrinsically linked do you think the two are? Do you really need to be an intelligent person to be a good actor?
It depends on how you define intelligence. If you are looking at somebody who is emotionally intelligent, then yes, they would be good at acting. But someone who is well-read might not be a good actor. I don't think intelligence has anything to do with your abilities. The ability of an actor is to feel emotions, and enact them. I didn't have that.

I've met actors who seem totally clueless and blank about the world they live in, and yet they shine on screen when they have to portray complex characters. Do you think it just comes naturally?
I think being able to act, as a quality, is as inbuilt as being able to write, sing or dance. You can't cultivate it. You are born with it. As for (some) actors you meet who seem blank-even now when I do a few commercials for brands, on the sets, there's just a whole bunch of people only talking about the current styles, all day. So you can't blame people for not being vocal (on stuff about the world), because their entire day is either spent in performing, or investing in the way they look. Where is the time to invest in their brains?

What did you do to not be in that bubble?
I was never in the bubble, that's the whole point. By the end of it, I started doing my own hair and make-up, because I got bored, just sitting, and looking myself in the mirror. I never felt that I would fit in.

Clearly you fit in quite well now as a bestselling author; and a first-time producer.
Yes (laughs). We keep telling kids that they have to be good at sports, or look a certain way. But it's your flaws, which make you unique, and that pay off in the end. By the time you're 10, your personality and attributes get completely defined. And if you play on those attributes, and strengths, those are things that really hold you as an adult, and (drive you towards) success.

Audience questions:

I'm told you literally had to chase Arunachalam Muruganantham around to get rights for the story of Pad Man? [Mohar Basu]
Yes, for some reason he couldn't just pick up the phone. When we finally met, he told me a lot of people were chasing him too. He mentioned Abhay Deol, Akshaye Khanna, who wasn't Akshaye Khanna, it was actually me. But I knew I really wanted to write the story and that it needed to get out there to every household. So I just chased him relentlessly for, I think, seven to eight months. I could have had another baby in that time [laughs].

Do you see television and web streaming platforms as the future of cinema? [Amit Karn]
For me, it (the future) is in immersive, virtual reality, where we're completely immersed in an environment, within a scenario. That's where we are heading. There is pollution, traffic. We're not going to be able to leave our houses very soon. So where are we going to be? Living in cubicles, pretending (through headsets/glasses) that we are living in a much wider world.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; February 5, 2018)

Whether it’s Cheeni Kum, Paa or Ki & Ka, R Balki has opted for unconventional subjects, which haven’t been attempted in Bollywood before. Continuing the tradition, his next directorial, Pad Man, deals with a topic — menstrual hygiene — that’s considered a taboo in the society. This is also the ad filmmaker-turned-director’s first biopic, a genre which, he admits, he isn’t too comfortable with. He tells After Hrs why he readily took up Pad Man and how he would do a masala film, only if it’s done his way...

When you were making Pad Man, were you apprehensive that people would take offence to it, since the film talks about menstruation?
No. I never thought about it. An objection to this film would be an objection to women. It’s as fundamental as that. But I’m so touched by the effort that our government, as well as that of other countries, are making to create awareness about menstrual hygiene. It’s a universal issue.

Here, sanitary pads are considered an object of luxury and not a necessity in villages, whereas, in a few countries, condoms are distributed for free. Do you think that will change?
It will. Cinema is a powerful medium. When people say that, ‘Pad Man is coming’, they are telling a word, which they never said before. But ask those same people to request for a sanitary napkin at a store and they’ll start whispering. I also believe that there is a huge problem of affordability. A lot of women who want it, can’t afford it. There is lack of awareness, too. People don’t understand that pads are more hygienic. It’s supposed to protect you from diseases that a cloth cannot because despite washing it repeatedly, there will still be germs. So, the basic purpose of sanitary napkins is misunderstood. It’s not a lifestyle choice, it’s a necessity. It’s a luxury today in a lot of people’s houses only because it’s been made out to be a luxury.

How did Pad Man happen?
I was approached to make this film. Twinkle Khanna had interacted with Arunachalam Muruganantham earlier as she wanted to write a book. Akshay Kumar and she (Twinkle Khanna) met me and I thought it was a great opportunity. I normally don’t like making a biopic because I get scared thinking whether I’ll be able to do justice to that person. At the same time, I knew the opportunity to make a film like this would never come again. I said yes in 24 hours! Then, it was funny. Twinkle went on to write her book and I went on to write my film. Finally, we arrived at two different interpretations of one man, his life being the common thing. We both finished at the same time as well. So he’s got two people writing for him. It was a natural story waiting to be told. I needed to make sure those emotions came across really well because eventually, it’s a love story.

You have a certain sensibility and treatment in your films. Do you think that prompted Akshay and Twinkle to approach you?
The cast wasn’t in place at that time. Even Akshay wasn’t sure. But he just asked me, ‘Do you want me to do the film? I don’t have a problem not doing it’. I felt that you could see the character in him completely. Pad Man is probably my most mainstream film because all my movies have largely been urban-centric. Of course, the tonality and the way I write doesn’t change but the genre and setting of this emotional love story is so far-reaching than anything else that I’ve done. It’s because of the nature of the story. It’s funny that something that people consider a taboo subject is actually my most mainstream subject ever.

But it’s commendable for a superstar like Akshay to do Pad Man...
Yes, it’s brave that he’s making such choices. Last year, I loved two films —The State vs Jolly LLB 2 and Toilet - Ek Prem Katha, both of which starred him. He has a great reach today and he can do any kind of movies. Akshay has got an absolute new tone in his films now. I’m so happy to have him play my leading man because when you watch Pad Man, you’ll know why he’s perfect for it.

As a director, is it difficult to find novel ideas?
I just try and see what I haven’t thought of before. I also watch a lot of films. I think there is a certain zone and tone that every director has. I know enough to say that. If you’re doing something that’s not original, then there’s no point in doing it. Yes, the subjects might have been dealt with somewhere else. But I should not know. That’s my only condition before starting a film. If I know it and I’m asked to do it, then there’s a problem.

Do you critique your own films?
I have done such s**t. I try and forget my movies as fast as possible, in fact, just a day after the release. I loathe my films. It’s not just one scene or two scenes. I cannot stand my own work.

Why?
When you are making a film, you go through so many emotions and by the time it opens in cinemas, you’re sick of it. You lose emotions, not objectivity. The sentiments with which you write a movie are non-existent by the time you release it. I’m quite disconnected that way.

Have you ever thought of breaking the norm and doing something completely different?
This is something totally different. I don’t want to do something out of my sensibility because then, it won’t be me. I don’t need to prove anything to anybody that I cannot do this. Even if I do a masala film, it will be with my style and sensibilities. It can’t be made with Manmohan Desai’s sensibilities because I’m not him.

So are you saying you’re averse to that kind of cinema?
No. What you know is what you do. I do only things which I know I can do. For example, I love Welcome. I roared with laughter while watching it. What madness! Even Rowdy Rathore is one of my favourite movies. Putting such calibrated nonsense is an art and if a film bores me, it’s boring regardless of what people think. There are interesting and boring movies. You only do the ones that you can.

Meena Iyer (DNA; February 4, 2018)

Twinkle Khanna is a celebrated author and columnist, who needs no introduction. Known for her wit and candour, the lady with a sharp pen and sharper imagination, is gearing up for the release of her maiden offering, Pad Man, under her banner Mrs Funnybones Movies. Over to the producer…

Pad Man deals with the sensitive topic of menstruation. Is this an indication of how you are going to choose subjects for your future offerings?
I do not think being a producer is part of my career plan or trajectory. So, if you ask me whether I’ll make another movie again, my answer is—it will only depend on if I find a compelling enough story to tell. But it is not the other way around that I want to produce and that’s why I’ll go looking for these stories.

I chanced upon the story of Arunachalam Muruganantham when I had already written 10 chapters for my second book. I did a lot of research and even before meeting him, I started penning his story, which began with him on a cycle right in the middle of the road, exactly the way it is in the book — The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad. At that point, I sent it to my editor Chiki Sarkar and I said, ‘I know you are going to be livid because we are mid-way through the book, but I want to drop it and write this story’. So, we started and within a month-and-a-half, I felt it was a very important tale. I realised this was something that would help elevate a little of the burden that we carry.

Burden?
Yes, the way we hide our sanitary pads in our purses. One pops out and someone jokes or passes a remark and we feel embarrassed. It happened to me once when I was going through a security check. I dropped my bag and all my sanitary pads fell out. I was so embarrassed. I was a lot younger, but such things kept happening over a period of time. This constant, ‘Don’t go to temples when you are menstruating’, etc are things that have stayed in my mind. I remember when I was in boarding school there were two girls named Jaya and Bharati, who said, ‘We do not like going home for the holidays.’ When I asked them why, they explained that when they had their periods, they were made to stay in a room outside the house. Their food was served on a separate plate and they were basically ostracised for those three to four days.

Contrary to what they went through, I grew up in a household where this wasn’t a taboo subject at all. We dealt with it in a matter-of-fact way. I thought a lot about these contrasts. As time went along, these thoughts stayed. I had done a column on menstruation and when I read about Muruganantham, I felt it needed to reach across India, especially to households where people have never spoken about this subject. You know that even women in modern society or progressive homes rarely talk about their periods to their spouses, except for saying something like, ‘My stomach is hurting today.’ Even if you’re running out of sanitary pads, only if you are really desperate, will you tell your husband to get it from the pharmacy. Otherwise, you do it yourself. There is a shame, an embarrassment about a biological function. And I thought, why should there be? Due to my own experiences (where I had felt awkward), I decided that no woman should be embarrassed about it. And that’s how this whole thing started.

Coming back to the original question, being a producer is therefore not a part of your trajectory, is that right?
No, that’s not the way I’m looking at it. I repeat myself. If I have a compelling enough story to tell, I will tell it. But I’ll not go looking for stories, just to be able to produce films.

You were pampered in your very first film outing because you got Akshay Kumar to act in it…
(Smiles) When I spoke to Akshay, we wanted to make a smaller film with lesser-known actors. I didn’t set out to make this big commercial movie. However, once we discussed it, both of us realised that documentaries are made on such topics. There is art-house cinema on subjects like these but who watches it? If we wanted our message to penetrate across India, then there were only two mediums — cricket and cinema.

And cinema of this scale?
Yes, cinema of this scale. Again, when you look at someone like Akshay, who has a huge fan base and whom men look up to, if he is portrayed holding a sanitary pad in his hand, that breaks taboos faster. At least half my work is done as there is an instant connect. Men, who’ve never talked about such things with their wives, are now having discussions about how Pad Man is a film about menstruation. ‘Should we go to watch it or not? How is the trailer? You know he (Akshay) is wearing a sanitary pad in that pink underwear.’ These conversations, which were earlier unheard of, are now happening in the country.

Which brings us to your choice of director. Was R Balki the first name on your list?
Rahul Nanda, the publicity designer, was coming over to show Akshay some poster. Akshay asked me to share my idea with him. So, I spoke to Rahul, who was very enthusiastic and suggested Balki’s name along with those of two other directors. The minute he said Balki, Akshay and I felt that he was the right choice to direct Pad Man.

We neither spoke nor met anyone else. In fact, that same week, Balki came home and within the first 10 minutes of our meeting, he was on board. It was so organic. I do not know if things will ever fall into place as easily as it did in this case.

Are you familiar with Balki’s work?
Yes, I am. I’ve watched Cheeni Kum (2007) and Paa (2009). And I liked both these movies immensely. I remember seeing Paa almost a decade ago and I was really impressed because the film dealt with progeria, a subject that no one had touched earlier. Cheeni Kum, which came before Paa, was fascinating, too. I needed someone who could make Pad Man aesthetically. So, it was a no-brainer that we would go ahead with Balki. 

When Akshay has a screening of any of his typical masala movies, he is hesitant to call you for it. Do you berate his choices sometimes? Is your husband scared of you?
(Laughs) No, he isn’t scared of me at all. I think he values my opinion. For a long time, I’ve been urging him to take a leap into the kind of cinema that would have another layer beyond just commercial films. I think, now he is happy to call me for screenings of those movies that have a social message or go beyond just being a blockbuster.

Incidentally, just the other day, my son Aarav was writing a play for school and he had two diametrically opposite ideas. I said, ‘Beta, please don’t write a masala comedy, but something along the lines of Airlift.’ But, it’s more of a joke. I’m not the Principal of The Prime Beach (the building where they reside) School. Everyone around is free to do whatever they choose to. But Akshay is prouder of the cinema that I approve of.

Are you choosy about the movies you watch?
I watch a lot of English movies and few Hindi ones. I prefer sci-fi and horror, those are the genres that I enjoy. As I’m getting older, even my tastes are changing. Probably the things that I would enjoy watching, reading and doing are all evolving. Times are changing, so it’s important to stay relevant and not get bound by what we think is cool. The society is expanding, so even our mindset should broaden.

Tell us about your third book.
I’m halfway through it but right now as I mull over it, I feel I’m doing three somersaults in the air. I don’t know whether I’ll land on my backside or my head (laughs). So, I’ll finish and then talk about it.

Can you be tempted to act again?
The only way you can tempt me is if I get Alzheimer’s and forget my whole identity. Then you can con me into coming in front of the camera. I wasn’t playing to my strengths when I was an actress. Even then I preferred reading a book. So, it wasn’t fair to continue. There is a wall that I live behind. And writing lets me penetrate it.

For me, to experience emotions and enact them, I would have to drop that guard. And I’m trying to climb that wall and look over it now at this age, but I don’t think it’s ever going to fall. I was born in this fishbowl, so I’ve had to keep a guard. I think it’s very difficult if your defences are high to even experience emotions, so then how can I enact them?

And before we sign off who is your favourite actor?
As far as Akshay is concerned, my judgement is biased because it comes with a lot of emotions. So, I’ll leave him out of this. Among the rest, I would say Aamir Khan.

Meena Iyer (DNA; February 2, 2018)

Akshay Kumar is at home, playing with his dog Cleo. When he spots us, he invites us to make ourselves comfortable on the classic sofa (designed by the missus, we are guessing), shows off his perfect egg-shaped bald pate and laughs, saying, “When I shaved my head, I was worried. I was thinking, ‘What if the shape of my head is not good?’” That be as it may, Akki’s lack of self-consciousness, whether it is for his appearance or his performances, is being applauded today. Over to the Pad Man:

You have become a biopic expert. This is your third one, right?
I don’t know anything about being an expert. I’ve successfully done Airlift, which was about a businessman who helped evacuate 1,70,000 Indians from Kuwait. The second one was Rustom that was inspired by commander KM Nanavati. Toilet - Ek Prem Katha was based on the story of Anita and Shivram Narre and now, I’m doing Pad Man, which is the true-life account of Arunachalam Muruganantham. These guys are real heroes and their lives have been truly inspiring.

Do you empathize with Arunachalam?
I admire him. Just imagine, he was almost the first Indian man who truly understood what his wife went through, month after month. And he felt that he needed to do something about it. By ‘inventing’ the low-cost sanitary napkin, he has done a service to the future generations of women. Do you know that almost 82 per cent of them do not have access to pads? They actually use cloth, leaves, rakh (ash), and bhusa (hay).

Women in rural India haven’t understood the necessity of a sanitary towel. I understand that many can’t afford to buy them, but I feel bad that they don’t realise how important menstrual hygiene is. They need to be educated about the health hazards of not using such products. It can also lead to cervical cancer. No one has realised the magnitude of the service done by Arunachalam. He took it upon himself to experiment by wearing a pad and ensuring that the product he puts out there is beneficial to his wife and females at large. There is a dialogue in the film that says, ‘Women strong, country strong.’ A woman’s health is of prime importance for us to give birth to a strong country.

You sound like an expert on the subject of menstruation…
Frankly, I didn’t know anything about sanitary napkins till two years ago; I had not even held one in my hand. My sister or my wife didn’t ask me to go to the pharmacy to get one. However, after Tina (Twinkle Khanna) researched Arunachalam’s life and wrote about him in her book — The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad — she told me about him at length. And I became so interested in his life that when she suggested making a biopic on him, I was fully charged. Pad Man has ventured where no other superhero has. I think Arunachalam’s story is more relevant than that of other superheroes like Batman and Superman because he dealt with a common woman’s problem. And I think I’m doing him service by bringing his story to the big screen.

I’m so happy now that men are discussing sanitary pads. A few days ago, four people outside my vanity van were discussing this subject. This awareness makes me happy and proud.

You have done 130-odd films. But a handful of these, like Special 26, Baby, Airlift, TEPK, and Pad Man seem to be the only ones that truly matter to you...
No, I don’t agree with you. I’m proud of most of my films. But earlier, I didn’t have the power to tell a producer to make the kind of stuff that I do today. Now, I’m the producer, or rather my wife is, so, we have chosen to tell this story together.

Earlier, I only knew commercial — or masala films as some people call them. Today, I’m more in touch with realistic cinema and my belief in it is unshakeable. Also, I’m grateful to the audience because now they are sensitised to this kind of cinema. And they are the ones who actually give us a chance to tell these tales. Back in the ’50s, filmmakers attempted stories like Naya Daur (a tongawalla who fights for his right to livelihood) and Satyakam (a man who marries a rape victim). They got success but not to the degree they should have.

Pad Man holds a more special place in my scheme of things because it carries a specific message. I do these films with good intent because I want these stories to travel far. People should be aware of these real-life heroes, who have researched so much, that too on topics that were earlier considered taboo.

Are you aware that even today, menstruating women are treated like outcasts?
Of course, I’m aware that even today there are homes and places where women, who have their periods, are asked not to enter the kitchen. They are told not to touch the pickles and papad because those may get spoilt. The real reason why women have been asked to take it slow when they have their periods is because their bodies are weak at that point and they need to rest. However, some people gave this a religious connotation, while others had their own scientific gyaan and treated women like outcasts. We have taken a positive angle in Pad Man. In the film, we even have a song where the entire village gets together and celebrates puberty. The locals give the girl gifts and make her feel special, which is how it should be. There is no reason to be hush-hush; it’s actually a thing to celebrate. My co-actor Radhika Apte, too, had a similar experience. When she mentioned this to me, I realised its significance.

You should not make a girl feel that it is something to hide. Instead, you must explain to her the significance and the science behind menstruation.

On a different note, it seems like you are getting ready for a career in politics...
I’m not entering politics. Doing movies that address public issues doesn’t mean that I’m paving the way for a political career. I’m very happy being an actor. I don’t have an agenda but this kind of cinema gives me joy. For instance, after watching OMG — Oh My God! people went to temples but they stopped pouring oil and milk on the idols. Instead, they donated money. This level of awareness is all that I’m targeting. I want to make small changes.

How was it working for Twinkle as the producer?
Nothing special. I finish everyone’s films on time, I finished hers too.

Are we likely to see a biopic on you?
No. Take someone like Sanjay Dutt. His life is interesting, so it makes sense to make a biopic on him. My life is not too exciting.

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; January 30, 2018)

Her pen is mighty, yet mirthful and her razor-sharp wit can slice and dice her words with ease. In a world of political correctness, she takes her chances with words, being playful, yet polite. Of course, also the fact that she’s an industry insider makes you guffaw in delight at her guts. Being in front of the camera was never one of her favourite things, so over a decade ago, she bowed out of her acting career, and years later, Twinkle Khanna flourished as an interior designer, and found her true calling as a columnist and author. While her hubby, Akshay Kumar’s filmi career is on a high, she steps into new territory as a producer with Padman, directed by R Balki. In a chat with Bombay Times, she talks about pads, parenting and pushing boundaries in the creative space. Read on...

Apparently, there were many people who were keen to make a film on Arunachalam Muruganantham’s incredible life, but he didn’t grant the rights to anyone, until he met you. How did you manage to impress him?
I was writing a column for The Times of India when I read his story and thought it was a unique perspective on menstruation. In India, we think that being proficient in English is being intelligent. But here was this man, whose intelligence wasn’t constrained or bound by his language skills or by formal education. That really struck me. From an uneducated man, he became an innovator because he saw that there was a need for it. I started calling him and chasing him, and for some odd reason he just wouldn’t answer my calls. Then I started emailing him and sending him text messages. When I set my mind on something, I am like this rhinoceros, I charge ahead without looking left or right.

I made it a policy to call Muruganantham every day, irrespective of where I was. Later on, I realised that he prefers messages and emails, as he finds it easier to comprehend. Finally, when I called him from England, he answered my call; I am guessing he thought that I was some foreign journalist. Soon after that, we met and he was open to the idea of a book, though he was reluctant to the idea of a movie. Perhaps, he felt he wouldn’t be portrayed well and would be shown in some item song in the movie. My intention was clear, I told him that I don’t know if I will make another movie, as this is not a career path that I have chosen, but this is a compelling story and I wanted to make it.

Apart from the fact that it’s based on menstruation, the film breaks many grounds; the lead role is being essayed by a man. This, in a country where most men don’t openly talk about menstruation...
Yes, that’s the idea. The conversation has started. Irrespective of how many people are going to watch the film, I want them to be aware of what we are doing. I am seeing that men, who would have never spoken about these things earlier, are doing it now. The other day, at a press conference I was asked, ‘What are you hoping to achieve with this film?’ I said, exactly this. The fact that you have started talking about it is what I am trying to do. Women are always talking about women’s issues, but are the men listening? Unfortunately, I don’t think that the men are listening. I thought that if we show an actor who is idolised by so many men holding a sanitary pad, a lot of taboos will be broken right there.

Was Akshay your first choice for the role? When you spoke to him about it, was he apprehensive at all?
At first, I was thinking of making the film with a smaller budget. Our cinema is divided between commercial and alternative cinema, so I thought I will probably make something in the latter space. Honestly, a documentary reaches only limited people and some film festivals. The point here is not to just educate the educated, but to also educate the uneducated. That can be done in two ways in our country, through cricket and cinema. I don’t know any cricketer, and they have their own pads, so I thought that making a movie was the right way to go ahead. I don’t think Akshay hesitated even for a moment. We didn’t even have a discussion about him wearing a sanitary pad in the film; maybe we talked about whether the underwear should be a pink-coloured one. I had written the first two-three chapters (of the story) before meeting Muruganantham, and I had spoken to Akshay about the story at that point. So, he had a fair idea about where the story was going.

Your sense of humour serves as a great writing tool, especially when you want to make politically-incorrect views palatable. Like they say, many a true word is spoken in jest...
Yes, it is the only way you can get away with saying so much more. Laughter and orgasms are two uncontrollable physical human expressions. If you can make someone laugh at something, it means you have gotten inside their brain. Hopefully, I have a penchant for cracking lame jokes, so that makes my work easy. There could be some people who don’t get the humour, but that’s okay, everyone does not have to understand everything.

Do you openly talk to your kids about various subjects, some that might be taboo or sensitive, too?
Akshay thinks I am excessively open with my kids while talking about all kinds of things. As I am growing older, I am realising that you can’t control things. You can’t control anyone, whether it is your kids, mother or husband. The only person you have any control over, that too barely, is yourself. The mind also has its own tricks to play. So, I keep channels open with my kids and crack jokes with them, as I think that it is an effective way of starting conversations. In our house, we don’t consider any subject as taboo. I crack jokes on everything from sex to drugs. Akshay and I have spoken to our kids about everything — homosexuality, alcohol, drugs and sex. Recently, I was talking to my son (Aarav) and telling him that in our country, it is illegal for people below 18 years of age to have sex. I explained to him that if a 17-year-old boy and girl have sex, the boy can be accused of rape and go to jail. He told me that it is not fair if it is consensual. So, whether it’s about consent or feminism, we have conversations about it. Nowadays, even in schools, kids are being gender-educated and they have such discussions with their teachers too, which is a great move.

Does Akshay ever censor what you write?
Yes, sometimes he censors what I want to write, and sometimes I listen to him. I talk to him about all my writing. I narrate my stories to him; I don’t think he has read any of my books, as he doesn’t like reading. He is the stabilising factor in my life and I think that’s why we work so well together. Marriage is teamwork; it’s like playing tennis doubles against the world, where you constantly lob these balls. So, when two people are different, one’s weakness is the other’s strength. What Akshay needs from me is to push him harder to step out of his comfort zone. For seven years, I pushed him to do different kinds of cinema, and at that point of time, he would tell me that this is what he needed to do. Then slowly, by his own evolution he started doing what we are seeing today and that is remarkable. You have to be relevant with the times and grow; you cannot do what you were doing ten years ago. Well, one thing that we have in common is that we both have a very strong work ethic, though we come from very different backgrounds. I think when both of us were very young we realised that if we didn’t work every day of our lives, we were not going to get anywhere. In fact, we laugh about it and say that if we both were thrown in a gutter, even then we would survive. That’s what we are and I am hoping this is something that our kids inherit from us.

It’s surprising you are saying this, given the privileged background you come from...
Life didn’t let me take it for granted. There was a big upheaval in my life when I was very young, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me; otherwise, I would have been a complacent child who ranked 35th in a class of 36 students, and sat and ate ice cream. But because of that upheaval, I went to boarding school and that’s when I realised that the only person you can rely on is yourself. It was something that changed the trajectory of my life.

Lately, there has been a general feeling amongst creative people that their freedom of expression is being attacked. Do you feel stifled as a writer? Being a public figure and the wife of a movie star, does it make it tougher?
I have been writing for five years and in the last two years, I definitely feel that even online you can sense a threat, where people want to rape you, kill you and do all sorts of things. I think that nowadays being politically correct seems important to most people, rather than genuinely going out there and doing something, achieving something or saying something. I think political correctness is taking over genuine human emotions. Yes, now I have to be more careful while writing and there is probably a lot more that I would want to say. For instance, a few days ago I was talking to Akshay about writing something on how certain things should be legalised in our country. He told me that for God’s sake don’t do it. He disagrees with me, but I will find my way to write it (laughs!).

So if you weren’t writing, what would you do?
Well, before I started writing seriously, I was doing interior designing. So that has always been there. I am always looking at doing interesting things. In our family, all of us can paint, knit, crochet and we are all voracious readers. In fact, when I was an actress, I would crochet on the set. Back then, there were no cell phones, so I would either be reading or knitting during breaks. My spot boy would tell me not to do it out in the open, but instead in the make-up van, as he feared that people would say, ‘Aap aunty type ho’.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; January 14, 2018)

Sonam Kapoor is one of the few actresses who celebrates her unabashed honesty and sartorial choices with equal panache. As her forthcoming film, Pad Man, gears up for release on January 25, the actress talks about the social drama and how the perception towards women is changing at large.

‘I VEER TOWARDS UNTOLD STORIES’
After Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Neerja, this is the third time Sonam will be seen in a film that is based on a real-life story. She admits that she gets drawn ‘towards untold tales’. Sonam says, “These are stories that the audience doesn’t know about. I’m conscious about telling tales that will resonate with them. It has to inspire and motivate everyone to be better human beings. That’s how I look at things when I sign such films.”

NOTHING LIKE NEERJA
While Neerja was about Neerja Bhanot, a model and purser who sacrificed her life while protecting 359 passengers, Pad Man is about Arunachalam Muruganantham, a living visionary. Sonam agrees it’s easy and difficult in its own ways. She says, “Having the person around helps hugely. With Neerja, it was completely different because we had photographs and people who could be reference points but the person, in question, wasn’t in front of us. In Pad Man, you can see Akshay Kumar sir capturing the spirit of Arunachalam because he’s right there. So, in a way, it’s easier. But then it’s also tough because the comparisons are immediate.”

‘I WOULD NEVER REFUSE A FILM LIKE PAD MAN’
It’s easy to presume that a star is apprehensive to play a role with limited screen time but Sonam exclaims that she doesn’t plan her career in a typical way. About what prompted her to give a nod to Pad Man, she says, “I’m a huge fan of R Balki and it’s such a huge privilege to work with him. He’s an amazing person and an incredible director. He is somebody who wants to tell stories that make a difference. So, when he called me, I was super excited. After hearing the narration, I thought to myself that he had offered me a fantastic role. There was no way I would have refused a film like this.”

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER
At a time when her contemporaries are shying away from doing films that offer them less screen space, Sonam doesn’t deem it as a risky move. “Why should it be a risk? It’s any day better than doing a movie with a leading actor where you have three songs and two scenes. At least I’m relevant in these films (refers to Pad Man). The size of the role doesn’t matter; it has to be meaty,” she exclaims. “Why should screen-time matter when your role adds value to a story? I was there for 15 minutes in Delhi 6 and had three-four scenes in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag but they resonated with the audience because they were integral to the film. They weren’t there just for fluff,” she adds.

MEN ARE RIDICULOUS SOMETIMES
Pad Man aims to increase awareness about menstrual hygiene, which is considered a taboo subject in India. But with taxes implied on sanitary napkins, calling it an item of luxury more than a necessity, it’s called for a raging debate. Moreover, some countries distribute condoms for free but charge taxes on sanitary pads. Appalled at such state of affairs, the actress says, “It’s because most men are stupid and they are making such ridiculous decisions. They feel a condom is more important than women having sanitary napkins. So, a film like Pad Man is relevant because there are only 12 per cent of women in India who have access to sanitary pads and understand menstrual health. That is scary.”

NEED TO START A DIALOGUE
Akshay Kumar’s last film Toilet - Ek Prem Katha (TEPK) had brought in a change. Will Pad Man do the same? Sonam asserts, “I hope any film that I do starts a dialogue about something that’s required. I hope Pad Man is such a movie. I want it to entertain because a subject like that needs to reach a wider audience. And when it does, I hope it starts a conversation. We’ve already started doing that by our promotions, so it’s important.”

DON’T CARE ABOUT IMAGE
There’s hardly an A-list actor doing what Akshay has done in the film (wearing a panty with sanitary napkin in it). Although many would call it ‘unmanly’, Sonam takes a staunch stand against such pre-conceived notions.

“The very fact that he is doing something like this is laudable and amazing. How many actors will take up such a role and do that scene? It will make a huge difference as Akshay sir is a mainstream star. And it should. He’s backing a film like this, which is produced by his wife and stars two other staunch feminists like Radhika Apte and me.” Many would and have shied away from such roles, to maintain a certain prototype of a star. But the leggy lass says she doesn’t have ‘such trappings of stardom’. “I honestly don’t give a s**t about my image! I just believe in doing the right thing and the correct films. Which is why what people think of me is their problem, not mine.”

NOTHING’S TABOO ANYMORE
Movies such as TEPK and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan have explored topics that have hitherto been unspoken about. Sonam says such movies are the need of the hour. “I feel it’s important for actors and filmmakers to talk about subjects and touch upon things that will affect change in society. Whether it’s taboo or not, it shouldn’t deter you from doing what you really want to do. That’s why you need to make it a bit more entertaining. Which is also why an Akshay Kumar needs to come in. Even though Pad Man is a story about menstruation and an amazing man who brought in a revolution, it’s also a love story. That’s something we shouldn’t forget.”

THINGS ARE CHANGING SLOWLY
Sonam points out that the perspective towards women is changing but it’s happening very slowly. “I wish it was faster and more relevant so that I am around to see the complete change. But I think we are at least a 100 years behind Hollywood,” she says.

Recently, the actress had claimed that producers and investors weren’t willing to invest as much money in her film (Veere Di Wedding), compared to male-centric movies, as it features four actresses. Is that changing too?, we ask. “I don’t know if they will give us as much because you cannot ignore the fact that there’s still a massive pay disparity, which is insane. It’s important to get what you are worth. Otherwise, there needs to be a staunch stand for what you believe in. And women need to step up for sure,” she responds.

NO NEUROTIC ROLES
With films like Raanjhanaa, Khoobsurat and Neerja on her list, Sonam is not keen on doing nonsensical films anymore. She laughs, “People don’t come to me with neurotic roles anymore. Nobody expects me to do a flower pot role. And I love that because I don’t want to waste my time listening to something that’s irrelevant and I wouldn’t do.” Does that mean she’s against the idea of a masala blockbuster? Pat comes the reply, “No, I’m not averse to the idea of a masala film at all. I’m against ridiculous roles for actresses. At the same time, I’m open to doing a film like Prem Ratan Dhan Payo where I get to work with some amazing commercial directors who give women the gravitas that they deserve. So, if someone offers me something of that magnitude and dignity, then why not?”

CAN’T JUDGE OTHERS
She also explains that it’s wrong to judge heroines who are taking up such roles in a commercial film. “They are doing whatever they think works for them. My job is to do films where I can make a difference and which I can be proud of. What anybody else does is not something I can judge because again, none of us know the situation they are in.”