PadMan vs Phullu – Both about Menstruation and Women Empowerment, One Has Akshay Kumar, and the Other Has What’s-His-Name-Again – The Decadence of Bollywood Continues…
I would like to bring your attention to the false claims made by the producers of PadMan. On various news sites, including BBC news, they are claiming that PadMan is the world’s first film on menstrual hygiene. This is wrong and false information, that is getting shared worldwide. Phullu was the first film ever made on this topic and was released in June 2017.
Anmol Kapoor, producer – Phullu
PadMan is a wonderful movie. Director R. Balki does a competent job of telling the story of someone that needs to be heard while getting the best out of the star of his movie: Akshay Kumar. The Khiladi is at his best and gives a convincing performance which makes the audience believe in his cause, the same way he did in Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Jolly LLB 2. Though the basic characteristics of all his characters in all the above-mentioned movies remain the same, the audience cannot help but fall for his captivating presence on-screen.
Phullu is also a brilliant movie. Director Abhishek Saxena too, tells his story in a competent way and tries to raise awareness about menstruation and female hygiene in the Indian community. Sharib Hashmi’s valiant effort portraying the lead protagonist, Phullu, keeps the movie engaging even when it’s not. In case you don’t know who Sharib Hashmi is, here’s a quick bio: Hashmi’s first movie was the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire (2008), in which he had a supporting role; he then appeared in Nitin Kakkar’s Filmistaan (2012), which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and also did a supporting gig in Shahrukh Khan’s Jab Tak Hai Jaan.
PadMan vs Phullu – The Story
I’m sure that the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) will not give Akshay Kumar’s film PadMan an ‘Adult’ rating. Because he’s Akshay Kumar and whatever he shows is good and worthy of being seen as a ‘public interest’ message. If he gets an ‘A’ he’ll get Modi ji to tweet about it and the CBFC will fall in line. But I’m sure he’ll get a U/A rating, so it won’t even come to that. When PadMan releases, I’m sure that the CBFC will pitch it as an ‘education’ film, even though our film is just as much about menstruation and the taboo around it, as theirs.
Abhishek Saxena, Director – Phullu
PadMan
Synopsis
Lakshmi is a newly married welder who causes a stir in his East Indian village when he tries to revolutionize the manufacturing of sanitary napkins for women.
CBFC Rating: U/A (unrestricted public exhibition subject to parental guidance for children below the age of twelve)
Phullu
Synopsis
Phullu, an uneducated man, realizes the inconveniences which women go through during menstruation. He then sets out to create awareness about the issue.
CBFC Rating: A (Restricted to Adults)
[Both the films ‘kind of’ tell the story of The Menstrual Man, Arunachalam Muruganantham]
PadMan vs Phullu – The Glitch
PadMan
Total Collection: Rs 45.25 Crore (last I heard)
Phullu
Total Collection: Rs 00.03 Crore (last I heard)
I would like to share that the CBFC has given PadMan a U/A Certificate, whereas the CBFC told me that menstruation as a subject in itself is ‘adult’ and they gave us an ‘A’ certificate. They are being partial. Because of the ‘A’ certificate we faced so many losses.
Abhishek Saxena, speaking India Today
Without going into the details too much, an A rating is bad. For a commercial movie in India it’s one of the worst things that can happen to a film. It reduces the profits by a large margin and remains shielded from the general public eye. With an A rating, there have been very few movies that managed to see good openings or become something extraordinary.
PadMan, however, doesn’t have any such issues thanks to its U/A rating. Why?
What is the logic behind this rating? Where is the standard guideline for all films? Both films try to make the general public aware of a major issue that has been long kept hidden away in the closet because of perceived ‘social taboo’. Granted, both the movies take different paths somewhere down the road, but it still isn’t grounds for being brain-dead, now, is it?
There is no consistency here; and that, is disturbing.
[CBFC has been guilty of this before. It gave Befikre a U/A rating, even though it had 12 kisses and a striptease by Mr. Singh]
PadMan vs Phullu: The Idiot’s Corner
- How many of us knew about Sharib Hashmi’s Phullu before its release?
- How many of us knew about Akshay Kumar’s PadMan before its release?
- How many of us can really say that we’ve seen Phullu, starring Jyoti Sethi, in theatres?
- How many of us can really say that we’ve seen PadMan, starring Sonam Kapoor, in theatres?
You see where I’m going with this, don’t you?
P.S: Of course, Akshay Kumar’s star power added to better marketing and better publicity; it’s not his fault he’s more famous than most. In this argument, he also has a point in his favour because of his previous movies being based on real social issues (something Bollywood rarely does).
But, what about the CBFC rating? Was it because of him too?
That would be preferential treatment. And, knowing Bollywood, this might just be the only rational conclusion.
The hypocrisy of it all…
The Idiot's Corner 