Tata Trusts' new film reframes periods as a sign of health, not fertility

Time of India

3 days ago

HighlightsTata Trusts has launched a campaign to change the perception of menstruation in India, emphasizing it as a normal biological function and a marker of health rather than a source of shame and stigma. The campaign, which is supported by ethnographic research and aims to engage families, includes films that depict positive conversations about menstruation, encouraging open discussions and education around the topic. Divyang Waghela, head of water, sanitation and hygiene at Tata Trusts, stated that the initiative aims to tackle deeply entrenched stigmas and empower girls and women to view menstruation as a normal part of health, fostering a cultural shift in understanding.
Tata Trusts has unveiled a new campaign to reframe how India understands menstruation.
Every month, roughly 355 million people in India menstruate. Yet, the subject remains shrouded in silence and shame and is linked to impurity, drawing societal stigma and burdened by age-old beliefs that link periods to fertility and marriage.
In fact, 71 per cent of Indian girls are unaware of menstruation until they experience their first period. For generations, this silence has shaped how menstruation is understood, reducing it to a marker of sexual maturity or the end of childhood, rather than recognising it as a normal biological function.
This campaign flips that narrative, inviting families to recognise menstruation for what it truly is: an indicator of health.
Rooted in deep ethnographic research conducted across rural regions in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, this campaign is anchored in a combination of Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) across seven states, with a series of cause-driven campaign films and development interventions on-ground that shift the ways in which communities understand, feel and talk about menstruation. Given the universality of the insight, the campaign also has a strong digital presence.
The research explored women's lived realities of restrictions in matters of personal hygiene and healthy menstrual practices. It also uncovered social norms surrounding menstruation, with mothers avoiding the conversation, fearing that their daughters will be seen as 'ready for marriage' – a worry also echoed by Anganwadi Workers.
Men shared limited menstrual awareness, often seeing it through the lens of household disruptions – like how it would affect women's cooking. However, they did show support when prompted, including getting their wives pads and taking them to the doctor when needed.
Shaped by a talented team of behavioural researchers and grassroots and creative partners, this campaign seeks to empower girls to remain children even after their first period, and women to feel confident and well-informed, with nothing left to fear or hide about this natural monthly process.
Divyang Waghela, head – water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), Tata Trusts, commented, 'Built on the Trusts' rich work in menstrual health and hygiene, and considering how deeply entrenched stigmas remain, we strive to tackle barriers around infrastructure, belief systems, and environments perpetuating them. Through this, girls can view periods as a normal part of health, not something to be hidden away.'
These insights laid the foundation for Tata Trusts' campaign that presents a disruptive, perspective-shifting goal: for periods to be seen as a marker of health and not just sexual maturity.
At the heart of the campaign, running across the series of films as a common thread, is a catchy jingle, 'Maheena Aa gaya' (In this case, Maheena – month – refers to Periods, translating to, 'I've got my periods'). It acts as a cultural bridge, bringing to life everyday scenarios where menstrual symptoms, whether cramps, fatigue, or mood changes, are acknowledged openly by both men and women only as a lakshan (symbol) of health and nothing more. By making these conversations feel comfortable, respectful, and even light-hearted, the campaign aims to de-stigmatize menstruation and create space for empathetic dialogue within families.
Deepshikha Surendran, head of brand and marketing communications, Tata Trusts, said, "'Maheena aa gaya' is more than just flipping a calendar page – it's a symbolic call to action, urging families to rethink what a period means, which we hope will nudge a generational, cultural shift in how menstruation is supported.'
The hero film is supported by films specific to key segments of audiences that shape everyday beliefs around menstruation. In one, a mother lovingly guides her daughter through her first period, explaining that it's simply biology, not a sign of readiness for marriage and that there is nothing to fear or be ashamed of.
Another depicts a husband ensuring his wife's needs during menstruation are met without waiting for her to ask because periods are not just her problem. In another film, a mother-in-law gently supports her daughter-in-law, encouraging her to rest and eat iron-rich food while reminding her, "Yeh siraf sehat ka ek lakshan hai' (this is only about health). These stories, told with warmth and emotional honesty, in real settings, replace fear with familiarity and shame with science. To ensure that the message percolates into conversations at a societal level, another film targeting Asha didis and other health workers, who are the bridge between the community and healthcare system, has been developed.
"We're not asking people to radically shift their thinking – simply, to understand that a period is just a 'lakshan' — a symptom, like hair loss. Capturing this, we created a simple, light film that we shot in people's aangans and homes, with a powerful, memorable song with a hook rooted in Indian pop culture, offering an important reminder: 'Maheene ko sirf sehat se jodo' (link that time of the month – menstruation – to only health),' added Keigan Pinto, the creative director.
Watch the video here: