Beyond Bollywood

Padman, Grassroots Innovation, and the Market Competition between Micro-Enterprises and Multinationals in Menstrual Hygiene

Abstract

This paper investigates the multifaceted impact of Arunachalam Muruganantham’s grassroots innovation—the low-cost sanitary napkin machine—as depicted in the Hindi film Padman (2018). It analyses the disruptive challenge this innovation poses to established market forces in South Asian menstrual hygiene management (MHM). Despite significant advancements in public health discourse, affordable access remains restricted due to high product costs and deeply entrenched socio-cultural taboos. This study examines how Padman functions as a cultural catalyst for entrepreneurship education, deconstructing myths of "overnight success" and highlighting the grit required for social ventures. Furthermore, the paper analyses the decentralised economic model against the centralised, high-cost strategies of multinational corporations (MNCs) like Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and Procter & Gamble (P&G). By integrating market data and examining the competitive landscape—with a specific focus on the strategic importance of the Maharashtra market—this research demonstrates how grassroots innovation provides a sustainable solution to the affordability crisis while fostering local economic empowerment and challenging corporate hegemony.