Need to continue conversation on sex education to see change: Saqib Pandor

Mumbai, Nov 22 Despite the open conversation regarding sex education and menstrual hygiene in in popular culture that includes films like ‘Pad Man’ starring Akshay Kumar, the confusion, misinformation and taboo attached to sex education still exists.

As the short film ‘Gupt Gyaan’ releases, the director of the film Saqib Pandor says there is a need for continuing such conversation especially among teenagers who have half-baked information that they gather from the Internet.

The film ‘Gupt Gyaan’ revolves around a teenage couple Ritu and Anuj.

The journey between two teenagers takes a turn when Ritu missed her period and how the girl goes through emotional turmoil with the fear of unwanted pregnancy that she could not talk openly about with her mother.

Highlighting the inception of the story, director Saqib said, “This is one of the common situations many teenage girls faced and when we were in school, we all have had such experience. Even though in today’s time everyone can get information from the Internet, when your body goes through a certain change, your mind also plays along with it.

“On the Internet, since there is so much information, the mind just gets confused. In our society, sex education also is associated with a sense of awkwardness. When I was in class 9, even though we had sex education class, we would bunk that class! At times we feel, we know everything, and then we feel if we don’t know, we rather search from the Internet than listen to our teacher in class! This is awkward.”

That is why he feels the process should be a combination of sensible parenting and an open atmosphere in our society.

“Even though we have watched Bollywood films where the topic of menstruation is touched in a small town, the topic holds a taboo. That should be stopped. It is a slow progressive way to change the mindset and I would say it is happening…we just need to continue the conversation in some form to see the change,” Saqib signed off.

The short film ‘Gupt Gyaan’, featuring young actors – Ashlesha Thakur and Vishesh Bansal – is streaming on miniTV, the free video entertainment service of the Amazon shopping app.