Oscar celebrities get rousing welcome in native UP village

​Hapur (Uttar Pradesh): Sneha and Suman, the two featured in India-based short documentary titled ‘Period. End of Sentence’, which won an Oscar this year for the Best Documentary Short Subject, received a warm welcome on their arrival in their hometown, Hapur earlier on Monday.

Sneha and Suman were welcomed with flashing cameras, paparazzi and warmth and love from the people of their hometown, who looked proud and happy as they stood with garlands in their hands. Talking to ANI, a happy Sneha said, “We are feeling very happy because we haven’t won this alone, everyone has won with us, this is India’s win.”

Katikheda village in western Uttar Pradesh's Hapur district saw joyous celebration after the film won an Oscar. Suman and Sneha went to America to receive the Oscars and villagers were proud of their superstars.

The two also received a rousing welcome at the Delhi airport on Sunday. ‘Period. End of Sentence’, which tackles the stigma of menstruation in the country, created history at the 91st Academy Awards after winning in the best documentary short.

"This was not a day's struggle, the award bears testimony to 20 years of hard labour. Menstruation is not a disease, it’s a procedure. If we talk about this openly then we can make lives of women safe in the coming days," Suman had earlier told ANI. The 26-minute short documentary, co-produced by Guneet Monga and directed by 25-year-old Rayka Zehtabchi, follows a group of women in Hapur, who lead a quiet revolution as they fight against the stigma of menstruation that is deeply rooted in society. 

For generations, the women of the village did not have access to sanitary pads, which lead to health issues among them. When a sanitary pad is installed in their village, the women learn to manufacture and market their own pads, naming it 'FLY.' The film was nominated along with 'Black Sheep,' 'End Game,' 'Lifeboat' and 'A Night At The Garden' in the category. Bollywood too erupted with happiness as Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra, Vicky Kaushal and Neha Dhupia to Dia Mirza and Mini Mathur and various B-Town celebrities took to Twitter to congratulate the film’s team on the big win.