This part of the Bigg Boss Season 11 finale on Sunday ended up on the edit floor. Akshay Kumar, who made Colors’ extra show by appearing as a special guest in the House, promoted his forthcoming film Padman by involving host Salman Khan in a little extra-curricular activity that took the Bhaijaan by surprise. They shot the sequence earlier in the day. But when the interaction between the two Bollywood superstars was aired as part of the Bigg Boss finale, this part was left out.

As part of his appearance and promotion, Akshay took the original sanitary pad making machine that features in Padman. This is the machine that Tamil Nadu entrepreneur and activist Arunachalam Muruganatham originally devised to create low-cost sanitary pads for rural women and thereby promote menstrual hygiene. He features in the story The Sanitary Man from Twinkle Khanna’s bestselling novel The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad.

Recommended Read: Akki teaches Salman how to make a pad!

After Akshay had spoken his heart out about the urgent need to break all taboos surrounding menstruation on India, he proceeded to introduce Salman to the sanitary pad making machine. While the macho Tiger Zinda Hai actor watched with a bemused expression, Akshay quickly made a sanitary pad and presented it proudly to Salman. While Akshay continued talking on the necessity of making sanitary pads freely available in the rural areas, Salman stood by uncomfortably with the pad in his hand. He kept absentmindedly tapping it on his palm like he was holding a bundle of currency notes.
As part of the conversation, Salman whispered to Akshay, “First time I am holding a sanitary pad!” Akshay, without batting an eye, reassured the embarrassed Bhaijaan, “That’s okay, first time I held one was only a year-and-half ago!”

This sensitive backchat between the actors part was diplomatically edited from the footage. Instead, Akshay and Salman danced to the title song of their 2004 film Mujhse Shaadi Karogi with Sapna Chaudhary who stepped in for Priyanka Chopra.