‘Entertainment is the best way to spread social message’ – Akshay Kumar

MUMBAI: Akshay Kumar is one of the few Indian actors who switched the genre of acting [action to comic], but didn’t suffer a popularity plunge.

He started his career with action-oriented roles, but in the recent years Akshay Kumar has made a point to pick films which convey a social message as the actor believes cinema has the power to create awareness.

The actor, whose “Toilet: Ek Prem Katha” focused on importance of sanitation, hopes to create awareness about menstrual hygiene with his latest release Padman.

“Nobody is interested in listening to speeches or watching documentaries. They are more interested in knowing about a subject through films. People have watched ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’ and they have understood the importance of toilets and not defecating in the open.

Entertainment is the best way to spread social message,” Akshay says in a media interaction here.

The 50-year-old actor says education also plays an important role in creating awareness. “Menstrual hygiene should be part of the educational system. There is never a thing on menstruation. Even if there is something on the subject, it is only for girls. That is the worst part. Even boys should be included in this conversation on menstruation,” he says.

Padman hit the cinemas on February 9 but Akshay says for this film, he wants to continue the promotions as he wants to keep the conversation on menstrual hygiene alive. The actor recently installed a sanitary pad vending machine at ST bus depot in Mumbai Central.

Akshay says he decided to do the R Balki-directed film as he wanted to break the taboo attached with periods. “The idea was to break the taboo and there is nothing wrong in it.”