Sharib Hashmi marks 9 years of 'Phullu', Hindi cinema's first menstruation taboo-breaker
Synopsis
Nine years on, 'Phullu' — a 2017 Hindi drama that dared to centre menstruation at a time Bollywood wouldn't — is getting its due. Actor Sharib Hashmi's anniversary post is a reminder that the film beat 'Pad Man' to the subject by nearly a year, and that India's first Hindi menstruation film remains largely underacknowledged.
Key Takeaways
Sharib Hashmi marked 9 years of 'Phullu' on 16 June , sharing unseen stills on Instagram. 'Phullu' ( 2017 ), directed by Abhishek Saxena , is described as the first Hindi film to address the menstruation taboo in India.
The film was inspired by the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham , a social activist from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu , known for making low-cost sanitary pads for rural women.
Akshay Kumar 's 'Pad Man', also based on Muruganantham's story, released nearly a year later on 9 February 2018 .
Hashmi is next set to appear in 'Welcome To The Jungle' , directed by Ahmed Khan , featuring a large ensemble cast.
Actor Sharib Hashmi on Tuesday, 16 June took to social media to commemorate nine years of his 2017 drama 'Phullu', reaffirming its place as the first Hindi film to directly confront the taboo around menstruation in India. The milestone marks nearly a decade since the film attempted to open a conversation that mainstream Bollywood had largely avoided.
What Sharib Hashmi Said
Sharing previously unseen stills from the film on his official Instagram account, Hashmi wrote: '9 Years of #Phullu !!! The first Hindi film that tried to break the taboo attached with #menstruation #periods #sanitarypads in India and being a part of a '1st' is always very special 16thJune.' The post underscored the actor's pride in being associated with a film that tackled a subject considered socially sensitive at the time of its release.
The Film and Its Inspiration
Directed by Abhishek Saxena and produced by Pushpa Chaudhary, Dr. Anmol Kapoor, Kshitij Chaudhary, and Raman Kapoor under the banner of Kapoor Film Inc Kc Production Pvt. Ltd, 'Phullu' drew inspiration from the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham — a social activist and entrepreneur from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu — who is credited with developing low-cost sanitary pads for women in rural India. The film featured an ensemble cast including Jyotii Sethi, Nutan Surya, Trisha Kale, Kimti Anand, Namya Saxena, Paras Raj Gandhi, Seema Parihar, and Nilanjana Banerjee, among others.
The Pad Man Connection
Notably, 'Phullu' arrived nearly a year before Akshay Kumar's 'Pad Man' — another Bollywood film based on Muruganantham's story — which released on 9 February 2018 to wider commercial attention. 'Phullu' is often cited as the lesser-known but earlier attempt to bring the same narrative to Hindi cinema audiences.
What's Next for Sharib Hashmi
Hashmi is next set to appear in 'Welcome To The Jungle', directed by Ahmed Khan and billed as the third instalment of the popular 'Welcome' franchise. The film boasts a sprawling ensemble that includes Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Raveena Tandon, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Johnny Lever, Aftab Shivdasani, Lara Dutta, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Daler Mehndi, Farida Jalal, and several others. The project is among the more anticipated comedy releases in the pipeline.
Point of View
That pattern still says something about how Bollywood assigns cultural credit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Phullu' and why is it significant?
'Phullu' is a 2017 Hindi drama directed by Abhishek Saxena, widely regarded as the first Hindi film to address the taboo around menstruation and sanitary pads in India. It was inspired by the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social activist from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, who developed low-cost sanitary pads for rural women.
What did Sharib Hashmi post about 'Phullu'?
On Tuesday, 16 June, Sharib Hashmi shared unseen stills from 'Phullu' on Instagram, writing that it was 'the first Hindi film that tried to break the taboo attached with menstruation, periods, sanitary pads in India.' He described being part of such a first as 'always very special.'
How does 'Phullu' relate to Akshay Kumar's 'Pad Man'?
'Phullu' (2017) and 'Pad Man' (released 9 February 2018) are both based on the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham. 'Phullu' preceded 'Pad Man' by nearly a year, though the latter received significantly wider commercial and critical attention.
Who is Arunachalam Muruganantham?
Arunachalam Muruganantham is a social activist and entrepreneur from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, credited with creating low-cost sanitary pad-making machines to improve menstrual hygiene access for women in rural India. His story has inspired at least two Hindi films — 'Phullu' and 'Pad Man'.
What is Sharib Hashmi's next project?
Sharib Hashmi is set to appear in 'Welcome To The Jungle', the third instalment of the 'Welcome' franchise, directed by Ahmed Khan. The film features a large ensemble cast including Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Raveena Tandon, and many others.
