Tollywood Takes on Taboos – A quiet but powerful revolution is underway in the Bengali film industry—one that isn’t about box office numbers or cinematic trends, but about challenging long-held social taboos around menstruation. From film scripts to social media, conversations around period pain—a subject once strictly off-limits—are being brought into the mainstream by Tollywood’s artists, writers, and influencers.
This cultural shift comes at a time when health awareness is rising, but menstrual stigma remains deeply entrenched across much of Indian society, especially in public discourse. In West Bengal, where cinema often mirrors societal norms and aspirations, a new wave of public figures are choosing to speak up.
Tollywood Takes on Taboos: It Started with a Post
Recently, actress Rajnandini Paul took to social media to share something simple—but powerful: she was feeling low and in pain because of her period. In doing so, she broke a silent code that discourages women, especially celebrities, from discussing menstruation openly.
Her post was met with an outpouring of support, including from male fans and fellow artists. Many praised her honesty and thanked her for making it feel more “normal” to talk about menstrual pain.
Paul’s post was more than just a personal update—it was an act of rebellion against the culture of silence surrounding menstruation. “It’s not just about talking,” she later explained in an interview. “It’s about allowing people—especially young girls—to know they’re not alone in this.”
Cinematic Representation: A Slow but Steady Shift
While Bollywood has occasionally tackled the issue of menstrual health (most notably in Pad Man), regional cinemas like Tollywood have been slower to pick up the baton. However, this is starting to change.
Recent Bengali films and web series have started incorporating menstrual issues into everyday narratives. A few short films, like Raat Baaki, and episodes from web series like Hello! Remember Me? have included casual references to period cramps, sanitary pads, or workplace discomfort due to menstruation—without reducing them to a punchline.
Screenwriter Sreeparna Mitra explains, “We’re trying to bring in these realities not as ‘issues’ but as part of lived experiences. Just like a character having a fever or a bad day, why can’t period pain be written into the scene naturally?”
On-Set Realities: Normalising the Pain
Off-screen, the industry is slowly adapting. Actress Solanki Roy, known for her strong on-screen presence, has publicly spoken about how menstrual pain can be debilitating, especially on long shoot days.
“Imagine standing for hours under harsh lights, in heavy makeup, trying to smile and act while your lower abdomen feels like it’s tearing apart,” she said in an interview. “There are days I’ve had to push through silently, and others where I just broke down.”
Some production houses are now taking cues. Certain sets provide pain-relief kits, hot water bags, and even allow flexible scheduling for female cast and crew—though these remain exceptions, not the rule.
Why Talking About Period Pain Matters
Gynaecologists and health activists across Kolkata have lauded this emerging dialogue. Dr. Shreya Basu, a gynaecologist at a leading private hospital in South Kolkata, says menstrual awareness is still dangerously low.
“Many young women assume extreme pain is normal,” she explains. “But if period pain is interfering with daily life or work, it could be a symptom of something more serious like endometriosis or PCOS. Silence around periods delays diagnosis.”
The public involvement of Tollywood stars in this conversation helps destigmatize not just periods but reproductive health in general. It encourages families to be more understanding and workplaces to be more accommodating.
The Cultural Context: A Deep-Rooted Taboo
In West Bengal, as in much of India, menstruation is still wrapped in myths and shame. Many women are discouraged from entering kitchens, temples, or even touching pickles during their periods. These restrictions have often seeped into everyday life—even in urban, educated households.
Growing up, many Bengali girls learn to manage their periods discreetly, with whispered requests for pads and secret painkillers slipped into pockets. “You learn early to hide it,” says actress and director Sudipta Chakraborty. “But why? It’s a biological process, not a sin.”
Chakraborty, who has directed several female-centric stories, is working on a new script that explores the impact of menstrual stigma across generations of women in a middle-class Bengali family.
Social Media as a Safe Space
Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) have become important platforms for this movement. Younger actors and content creators often share stories about dealing with cramps, hormonal mood swings, and fatigue. Influencers like Megha Majumdar and Titas Basu have even created reels showing their period routines—from pain remedies to snack cravings.
These casual, relatable glimpses help erase shame. They also reach a much younger demographic—teenagers who are more likely to absorb body positivity from social media than traditional sex education.
Male Allies Join the Conversation
It’s not just women. Several male actors, including Ritwick Chakraborty and Anirban Bhattacharya, have shown support for their co-stars when they’ve talked about period pain online. Some have even gone a step further, advocating for period leave in workplaces.
Director Mainak Bhaumik, known for films that center women’s narratives, recently tweeted: “If a scene can be paused for a camera glitch, why not for a woman in unbearable period pain? That’s not drama, it’s dignity.”
Pushback and Trolls Still Exist
Despite growing awareness, backlash is common. Actresses who post about period cramps or pads are often trolled online, accused of “oversharing” or “seeking attention.” Some even face moral policing, with users asking them to “maintain dignity.”
Rajnandini Paul’s post was no exception. A few netizens slammed her for being “too bold” or “unlady-like.” But as she put it, “If speaking up about pain is bold, then maybe we all need to be bolder.”
Corporate Bengal and Period Leave
Beyond cinema, some Kolkata-based startups and creative agencies are adopting menstrual leave policies—a move inspired in part by such celebrity-led conversations.
Media firm InkTide Studios, for instance, recently introduced one paid period leave day per month for its female employees. “We credit Tollywood’s openness for this mindset shift,” says founder Arindam Sen. “When popular culture changes, policy isn’t far behind.”
A Generational Shift in the Making
Parents are starting to talk more openly with their daughters about menstrual health. Schools in Kolkata are including period hygiene sessions as part of their curriculum. Brands like Whisper and Carmesi have collaborated with Bengali influencers to host online workshops on period myths.
Tollywood’s gradual but vocal involvement is creating a ripple effect. What was once a whispered topic is becoming part of the public lexicon—through scripts, social posts, talk shows, and interviews.
Looking Ahead: What Still Needs to Change
Despite progress, menstrual conversations in the Bengali film industry are still limited to urban, upper-middle-class spaces. Rural outreach remains minimal. Films addressing period poverty, access to sanitary products, or rural health challenges are still rare.
Moreover, inclusion of non-binary and trans perspectives in menstrual health is nearly absent in Tollywood’s narratives—something activists say needs urgent attention.
Conclusion: When Art Breaks Silence
The Bengali film industry—long known for its poetic realism and social sensitivity—is now confronting an everyday reality hidden in plain sight. By weaving period pain into its cinematic and cultural fabric, Tollywood is helping rewrite the rules of public conversation.
From hashtags to heart-to-hearts, the message is clear: menstrual health matters, and so does empathy. If art reflects society, then the mirror is slowly, finally, tilting toward truth.
External Resources & References:
- Menstrual Health Alliance India
- Whisper India’s #KeepGirlsInSchool campaign
- Goonj’s “Not Just a Piece of Cloth” initiative
- UNICEF India: Menstrual Hygiene
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