With only a few weeks left for its release, the entire team, including Ekta Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma and Ratna Pathak Shah are now busy promoting the film in full-swing. 

Recently a new poster of the much-anticipated film was released and now, another trailer has been unveiled at an event in Mumbai on Tuesday. 

”There is no problem with CBFC, my problem is with society, which at some point speaks about the same issue in its own ways. If you talk to any girl, you will come to know about five to 10 such incidents happening with her in one day where, being a woman, she has to prove herself a little harder. She has to learn how to combat from a very young age,” TV producer Ekta Kapoor said while talking about the struggle the film had to go through. 

Ekta, who will be presenting and distributing the film, also went on to explain the relevance of the ‘finger’ shown on the poster of the film. 

“This finger, this lipstick is for the society which isnt allowing us to come out and is curbing our voice. Its not about CBFC, its about an ideology, its not even about men. I am going to do a campaign lipstick for men. There are lots of men who have made us the women we are today, like my father. There are lots of women who want a son to be born and put their daughter-in-law through abortion. So, its not about men and women, its about the ideology. Its about patriarchy,”Ekta said.

Lipstick Under My Burkha team also ended up answering a wide range of questions including the 12% tax which is set to be levied on sanitary napkins from July 1 under the Goods and Services Tax. 

Speaking against the issue, both TV producer Ekta Kapoor and actress Konkona Sen Sharma said that a basic necessity like sanitary pads should be made tax free. 

“Honestly, I am not that well read about what is being taxed and how much, but have definitely heard a lot on this issue. Personally, I think the necessity of a woman cannot be taxed. Be it a choice, a need or a desire. We have to stop using words like ‘that time of the month’ or other things. Say it, I have my periods. There is nothing to be shy or embarrassed about,” Ekta said.

Konkona also asserted on how adults should not be embarrassed talking about sanitary pads.

“If you don’t have any control over your bodily function, how can it be considered to be taxed under luxury goods. It’s not like you’ll voluntarily say ‘I won’t put out my AC tonight’. It’s not the same thing. I don’t know why adults are laughing when such an important question is being raised. We talk about toothbrush, toilet paper, toothpaste but the moment sanitary napkin comes, we all go ‘haw sanitary’ like we are in school,” Konkona said.

Ratna Pathak Shah also added that the overall conditioning needs to change and Indians should stop behaving like ‘ostriches’.

“I’ve worked with an NGO. Ten to 15 years ago, when we started work, we were doing some stuff which had to do with the way the body develops. The teachers were appalled, they said ‘no no, chee, never never’. Ten years down the line, the same teachers come up to us and say, we can’t thank you enough. This has given us a way to talk about something which nobody wants to talk about…It’s time for us to stop behaving like ostriches, get our heads out of the sand and look at the world.”

The film also featuring Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur, was briefly stuck as the censor board initially objected to its ‘lady-oriented’ content. 

Lipstick Under My Burkha, which was later cleared by Film Certification Appellate Tribunal with minor cuts, is now scheduled to release on July 21.

Here’s the new trailer:

With Inputs From PTI

(Feature Image Source: Instagram/aniruddh_panghal)