Cinema is a reflection of the society, so are the artists working in the industry who enjoy influence over masses. What happens in the society finds its place in the media and what is portrayed by the filmstars either in personal or professional life, comes to dictate the life terms to common people. On some occasions, the trend being set by the entertainment industry does wonders in the society, like the conversation around periods was normalised through Akshay Kumar’s PadMan, or to say Nushrratt Bharuccha’s Janhit Mein Jaari’s call to use protection. However, generalisation of issues many times can do more harm than good.
Periods- Pregnancy and their varied experience
Every female experiences menstruation and almost all of them barring exceptions go through the phase of pregnancy, so as to give birth to offsprings. Though the process is common to all, the experiences vary person to person. For some menstrual cycle can be as normal as any other day, while for some others it may bring along with it unbearable pain and mood swings.
The same goes with pregnancy, while it has been romanticised to another level, the process can be painful to some women to another level. The feeling of giving birth to a human being can not be compared with any other feeling in the world, it may bring along severe complications as it may bind them to beds for months.
Also Read- The concept of Period Leave – Excellent in short-run but disastrous in long run
Unsolicited physiological advises from Bollywood
The problem arises when women with privilege comment on such feminine issues, without knowing about the on ground status and being unaware of the influence they have. The recent culprits are Hina Khan and Kareena Kapoor.
Actress Hina Khan in a recent appearance on the TV reality show Swayamvar: Mika di Vohti commented on menstrual cycle. In a video from the show doing rounds on the internet, Khan can be seen calling periods as her ‘special days’. She added that she loves to pamper herself during her periods. Khan was quoted as saying, “I don’t call them my sad days. I don’t feel the pain. I really enjoy those days.”
Pampering yourself is well, but what didn’t go well with the audience is what she said later. She commented on other women too, she comprehended why people complain about menstrual cycle. While it may be Hina Khan’s outlook to look at her menstrual cycle as special days, the days are not special for everyone, as periods bring along pain, cramps, mood swings and many other problems along with it. The ones suffering from PCOD or other disorders like dysmenorrhea have it worse.
Hina Khan is not the only culprit
Unsolicited advices from the Bollywood is not a new phenomenon, and many influential women are guilty of the same. Some other way round also, the women who return to work soon after their deliveries, or work exhaustively during the gestation period. Some public servants along with bollywood biggies are also guilty of promoting the toxic culture of working, even when your body physiologically and psychologically does not allow you to do so.
This needs to stop, while it was necessary to thwart the liberal agenda of propagating concepts like period leave, that ultimately weakens the entire gender, it is crucial to halt these influential people from spreading unachievable standards.
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