An earnest, crowd-pleasing social drama with a strong underdog hook, Pad Man turns a taboo public-health issue into an accessible mainstream story. It’s imperfect and occasionally melodramatic, but the heart, humor, and reform-minded energy make it worthwhile.
Upon realizing the extent to which women are affected by their menses, a man sets out to create a sanitary pad machine and to provide inexpensive sanitary pads to the women of rural India.
Director
R. Balki
Production
Hari Om Entertainment, Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Films India, Sony Pictures International Productions, CP Film Production Asia, Hope Productions
An earnest, crowd-pleasing social drama with a strong underdog hook, Pad Man turns a taboo public-health issue into an accessible mainstream story. It’s imperfect and occasionally melodramatic, but the heart, humor, and reform-minded energy make it worthwhile.
Best for
Viewers who like inspirational true stories
Audiences interested in women’s health and social reform
Fans of mainstream Indian dramas with comedy and emotion
People who don’t mind a message-forward, crowd-pleasing tone
Skip if
You want subtle, minimalist filmmaking
You’re sensitive to broad melodrama or sentimental speeches
You prefer romance or character arcs to stay tightly written
You dislike issue-driven films that prioritize advocacy over realism
Overview
Pad Man takes a subject many films would avoid and treats it as both a public-health problem and a human story. The premise is instantly compelling: one man’s stubborn curiosity leads him into a fight against stigma, shame, and the economics of poverty. That gives the film a clear emotional engine, and it’s easy to see why it connected with audiences looking for something hopeful and socially useful.
Worth noting
The film works best when it leans into its underdog momentum and the plainspoken absurdity of having to explain menstruation to a resistant world. Its tone is warm, accessible, and often funny, even when the material is serious. The central performance carries a lot of the weight, helping the movie stay buoyant through stretches that might otherwise feel didactic.
Bottom line
It’s not a perfectly balanced film. Some relationships feel underwritten, and the script can push too hard for uplift or significance. But as a mainstream drama about breaking taboo and making health care affordable, it has genuine impact and a sincere point of view. If you’re open to a polished, message-driven crowd-pleaser, it’s an easy recommendation.
Top Letterboxd reviews
sohni 🥀 (4★) · 252 likes
get you a man who’s so invested in your period he starts a national business making reasonably priced pads for women (in all seriousness although this movie isn’t perfect i’m glad india’s starting to break the stigma around women’s health bc it’s about time)
R. (5★) · 160 likes
"We can truly enjoy fatherhood only by becoming the mother. Just like, we can truly enjoy being men only by keeping our feminine side alive."
Mike Apps🍿 (3.5★) · 80 likes
A true story about how menstrual hygiene was revolutionized in India, told with enough earnestness and heart to power a small village. Maybe the romance was undercooked, maybe the line between serious fact and whimsical fiction is too blurry for balance, maybe the writing gets too melodramatic for comfort.....but Akshay Kumar carries so much of the movie that you go along with his charismatic performance! Best superhero movie I've seen out of Bollywood!
021996 (5★) · 68 likes
Get u a man who is this extreme about your period.
umme (4★) · 53 likes
it angers me how upset people became, especially his mom. of course at the end, they were so ready to welcome him. pari and her dad were the highlights of the movie. the professor’s son and lakshmi’s besties are honorable mentions.