Pad Man

This Bollywood movie tells the story of a man in India who comes to devote his life to inventing a cheap menstrual pad for women. Hold on. I know, I know. But keep reading. The story is unexpectedly good in portraying the deep shame that women in India faced and how this single invention saved and dramatically improved lives. Prior to his invention, women in India were segregated from their families for 5 days each month during their period. 5 days X 12 months= 60 lost days. Imagine effectively losing two months of your life every year! In addition, the common practice of using dirty rags in place of sanitary pads (due to the expense in poor countries) led to fatal toxic shock and a number of health problems that actually took some women's lives. This is the moving true story of the devoted man who sacrifices everything--family, money and honor--to better the lives of a half billion women, even as society and the people closest to him reject him. His tireless dedication, ingenuity, and yes, a certain amount of pure luck in meeting the right people, help him to produce a machine to make the pads, and the contacts to distribute them throughout India, and even internationally. Women in villages across India purchase pad making machines and set up businesses to address a dire local need, introduce the pads to women and become self-sufficient in the process. Despite the taboo topic, this is a movie well worth your time and a very compelling story. Not under wide distribution, if it comes to your city, go see it.