On a special request of I&B Minister Smriti Irani, UN India (United Nations India) organised a screening of Pad Man in Delhi on Tuesday. Those invited for the screening were the people associated with UN India, including school principals, who later joked that kids bunk school to watch a film, but this was the first time so many school principals are doing the same. After the screening, the star cast joined the audience for a discussion, and Akshay surprised everyone by confessing that he wasn't offered this film, he had to beg his producer wife to cast him in the lead role.
'Pad Man is more than a movie - it's a movement'
Smriti Irani, who joined the audience for the discussion, said, "There are two reasons why I requested Yuri (Yuri Afanasiev, UN Resident Coordinator in India) and his team to screen this film for those who are associated with the UN. It's possibly the first time in Indian cinema's history that we have a male actor - a celebrated star - doing films on a different concept. As someone who has worked as an actor in the past, I have never seen any actor to do films that are projected to not be financially successful ventures. And to be a part of such projects, where he takes the issue and makes it a success, speaks a lot about his brave choices."
She added, "From an entertainment perspective, it is essential that this project succeeds because its commercial success will help take the message forward. And the second reason is that it's very rare to have a female producer in the film business. Normally, when you start, people tell you why don't you do projects which are financially viable but she (Twinkle) took a courageous decision and that's why I am here to show my support."
I pleaded with Twinkle to allow me to do this film: Akshay
When Akshay was asked to share his experience, he told the audience that he really had to beg to get the lead role in the film, to which Smriti replied, "We can't imagine you begging." Akshay replied to her saying, "Trust me, Smritiji, I had to really beg for this film. I pleaded with her, 'let me do this film, I want to do this film'."Arunachalam Muruganantham, the real 'padman', and actress Radhika Apte who were also present during the screening told director R Balki that they were crying throughout the film. Even as Smriti Irani missed the whole film, she complimented Radhika and said, "I am a huge Radhika Apte fan, and in my ministry they say if there's a Radhika Apte film, hide it from her (Smriti) because she will find a way to watch it."
Nishtha Satyam, UN Deputy country representative, (India, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka), said, "It's a humbling moment, we managed to capture the story and take it to the world."
I gave the 11-minute U.N. speech in the film in one take: Akshay
After the screening, when Akshay got up to talk, the audience requested him to talk in 'Linglish' referring to the lingo of the UN speech he gave in the film. Akshay told them, "The UN speech that I gave in the movie is an 11-minute speech, and this is the first time I am saying it - I did that in one take. Mr Balki, the man who can't get enough of takes, said, 'done.' We thought that the scene will go on till the evening, but we packed up at 11. That speech actually came from my heart. I meant each and every word."'Ever heard of a principal bunking school for a movie?'
A school principal said at the screening, "Kids bunk classes for movies, but it's for the first time that so many school principals have 'bunked' their schools to attend a film screening." Another principal agreed, "And it's worth it." The audience attending the screening said that even though people might think it's not a big deal, the film reminded them of the experiences of their mothers and grandmothers, who wouldn't freely discuss menstruation. Meenakshi Datta, who was in the audience, said, "It's a powerful film, and the message has been given in a very sensitive manner."
By Times Of India
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