PAD HAI

LOGLINE

When her daughter unexpectedly starts her first period at her estranged father’s birthday, an alarmed mother must track down a pad while keeping the party going.

Synopsis

Gajra invites her estranged father, Nana, and her sister’s family from India to celebrate his 70th birthday in the US with her family. During the pool party, her daughter Saanvi starts her first period. Gajra, who was raised to never speak about ‘lady issues’ in front of men, must juggle being the host of the party and hunting down a pad for her daughter. Only one problem. No one seems to have a pad.

After herding up her extended family, putting out a fire, and fighting with a faulty minivan door, Gajra finally finds a pad. She makes her way back to the bathroom where she left Saanvi only to find Nana banging on the door – he ate paneer despite being lactose intolerant. Gajra pulls Saanvi out and pushes her father into the bathroom in a grand switcheroo. She slips her daughter the pad and Saanvi rushes upstairs to change. Saanvi runs into her clumsy little cousin, Ayush, and the pad goes flying. He sees the blood on her leg and screams, rushing all the relatives inside. When Nana exits the bathroom he steps on the fallen pad. Gajra braces for his disappointment, but he calmly asks for the older girl cousin, Ameera, to help Saanvi with the pad. Gajra is stunned that Nana said the word “period.” She learns that Nana has grown over their years apart, and no longer considers “ladies issues” taboo. The entire family comes together to sing happy birthday to Nana.

TEAM BIOs

BAANI KAUR connects cultures through art. She is a writer, director, and actor of works focused on the South Asian American experience. Her mission is to make people feel seen and spark conversations through films, music videos, and commercials. “Pad Hai" is her official narrative debut as she enters her final year Film & TV Production at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She is a current cast member on Desi SNL and a selected fellow of Rickshaw’s 2025 Features Lab. She also won the NYU 2025 Audience Choice Award for her Crayola “Colors of the World” commercial, was a semifinalist in the Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards for “Pad Hai”, and held multiple positions at the Lone Star Emmy-winning television station ntTV.

OPERATION PERIOD, founded by filmmaker and astronaut Manju Bangalore, is a gen-z led national nonprofit advancing menstrual freedom by investing in youth organizers, leading research, and transforming culture through media and community action. Operation Period and Manju are excited to partner with Baani on “Pad Hai” to continue advancing the fight for menstrual freedom.

OMI VAIDYA (NYU Tisch Film & Television Production ‘04) is an Indian-American actor best known for his performance as Chatur Ramalingam in the world famous Bollywood comedy “3 Idiots”. In addition, Vaidya has played roles on The Office and Arrested Development. Omi has directed many short films and worked as a feature film editor. As a father, activist, and filmmaker Omi is extremely passionate about the impactful story and message of “Pad Hai.”

MIMI TRAN is a cinematographer based in New York City. Born and raised in Vietnam, she enjoys crafting stories that explore the intersection of culture and individuality. She is excited to tell this hilarious and impactful story with a BIPOC team.

ANIKA MATHUR is a creative producer focused on the business of entertainment & culture. She has driven and consulted on campaigns for WIF x Sundance, various marketing agencies, and independent producers. She cares about projects that impact our sense of community, stigma, and celebration to a wide audience.

MINA HUANG is a producer who specializes in family dramas that explores relationships through a playful lens. Short films she has worked on have been selected for festivals such as Soho International, DOCNYC, and New York Shorts International. She believes “Pad Hai” tells a deeply under-represented story.

SAYAAN NAGPAL is a producer passionate about telling stories that incite joy, connection, and community. They have produced independent and student films and worked at Oscar-qualifying film festivals such as Tasveer and the New York Intl. Children’s Fest. They are currently an intern at Jesse James Films and an incoming NBCU The Tonight Show intern.

RAFIAH SHIRAZ is a producer and filmmaker that loves to create and collaborate on bold, character-driven stories that explore identity, culture, and coming-of-age journeys. She has run social media campaigns for short films and brand collaborations. She has crowdfunded $10,000 for films. Her latest short is currently on its festival run.

COCO BIGLES is a Puerto Rican producer and filmmaker with a love for heartfelt visual story-telling in both narrative and commercial fields. She crowdfunded $15,000 for a short film and oversaw all departments through production. She recently screened at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival through The American Pavilion.