DUBAI: Over one hundred women workers from three labour camps in Dubai were treated to a special movie screening of the Bollywood movie Padman last Friday.
The movie, featuring actors Akshay Kumar among others in the lead, revolves around the story of a social activist Arunachalam, who revolutionised the concept of menstrual hygiene in Indian villages by inventing low-cost sanitary pads.
Big hall
Smart Life, a Dubai-based NGO organised the event at Vox cinemas, Grand Hyatt.
“The idea behind this initiative was to reinforce the idea of menstrual hygiene among women in labour camps. A big hall was specially booked for us to accommodate all the women in one cinema,” said Nivedita Saha, a volunteer with SmartLife.
- Nivedita Saha, Smartlife
“Before the movie started, we had an interactive session with these women and educated them on the subject of personal hygiene, especially with summer approaching. The women felt comfortable talking to us about their concerns,” said Saha.
Eye-opener
Malathy Senthil, a worker from Sonapur camp, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Padman was a real eye-opener,”
Nilanji Singhe, another worker from Al Barsha labour camp, said: “I don’t follow Hindi but I got a jist of the message from the movie. It was a good outing too for all of us.”
Saha said at the end of the event, the women were given gift hampers.
She said Vox Cinemas, on their part, offered exclusive rates on pop-corn and sodas.
They also gave away DVDs of the movie to the women.
