Akshay Kumarstarrer Pad Man strikes the right chord both with critics and the audience

It deals with the taboo subject of menstrual hygiene, and yet, the out-and-out family entertainer, Pad Man, starring Akshay Kumar has hit the right chord with the audience. And perhaps that’s the reason why R Balki directorial has won huge critical acclaim and is being loved by fans as well.

Interestingly, the film — also starring Radhika Apte and Sonam Kapoor — which was perceived to be ‘awkward’ for the audience is being lauded as a family film. Trade analyst Atul Mohan is all praise for Balki’s “direction” and Akshay’s “entertaining portrayal” of such a sensitive subject. “It engrosses you and gets emotional at some places. While many women would avoid watching the film in theatres to avoid the awkwardness from the male gender, it’s interesting that a lot of families are watching it,” says Mohan, who feels that the film deserves a tax exemption and should be screened in schools and colleges.

“Even if it deals with a taboo subject, Pad Man is essentially a love story of Akshay and Radhika, where the man is so much in love with his wife that he doesn’t want her to suffer at all. That is endearing,” says trade analyst Amol Mehra.

The film released on February 9 and opened to good business. According to box office figures, the film collected ₹10.26 crore and picked up speed on Saturday making ₹13.68 crore leading to a total of ₹23.94 crore, at the time of going to press. Trade expert Taran Adarsh feels that the collections would only get better from here. “Content driven and socially relevant films take time to pick up. Even Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2016) didn’t start with a bang but did really good business eventually,” he says, adding, families come only if content is strong. “Pad Man has proved that different stories are being narrated, and it’s very brave on Akshay’s part to have taken up a project that most heroes wouldn’t.”

PHOTO: HTBS Akshay Kumar and Radhika Apte in a still from Pad Man