Sneha and Suman from Oscar-winning Indian film 'Period.End of Sentence' in financial crisis

Sneha and Suman had a short-lived happy life as stars of Oscar-winning film ‘Period. End of Sentence’. Director Rayka Zehtabchi’s documentary that stunned the world with its story of tackling menstruation in India is also now the reason why these girls have no job. 

The girls worked at the sanitary pad-making factory in Kathikeda, Uttar Pradesh. After the film won at the Oscars, the two got over Rs 1 lakh each gifted by UP CM Akhilesh Yadav for their achievement. They had also received Rs 50,000 each from the state’s governor Ram Naik. 

According to a media report, the two are in “deep financial crisis” after the gift money as they lost their jobs at the factory. Apparently, the factory which manufactures the sanitary pads, asked them to leave because they refused to hand over the amount.  

Suman said, “My husband works as a temporary guard at a local bank’s ATM facility and is unable to meet monthly expenses of the family. I was not paid for three months and when I asked for it, I was told that Rs 1 lakh was already given to me so I didn’t need a salary, Eventually, they asked me to quit.”

Sneha, who spoke about becoming a cop in the documentary revealed she had to leave the institute because she has "no money" for taking coaching lessons.

Meanwhile, the NGO believed that since the film revolved around their facilities and initiatives, the financial rewards belong to them.

Project manager for Action India Hapur, Devender Kumar, however, refuted these charged and said that after returning (from Oscar ceremony), the two “were engrossed in festivities and began to neglect work” and “it went on for two months.”