By Puja Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANSlife): Bollywood actress Bhumi Padnekar has collaborated with feminine care brand Whisper for its new campaign #KeepGirlsInSchool that aims to create awareness on how even today, girls across India drop out of school on hitting puberty.

As part of this campaign, Whisper has launched its new film that brings to light the fact that 1 in 5 girls are dropping out of school each year. Whisper has pledged to double the impact of their existing menstrual hygiene education program by reaching 5 crore girls by 2022.

Commenting on the campaign, Bhumi said: "The cause of keeping girls in school hits home, and feels personal to me, especially with periods continuing to be a taboo topic. I was shocked to learn that lack of period education is leading to 1 in 5 girls dropping out of school each year. Whisper's initiative comes at a time when empowering the young women of India with the right knowledge and education is critical for our country's growth. It is a rare opportunity where each of us can collectively make a difference in the lives of young girls. It truly is time to #KeepGirlsInSchool.".

The film, conceptualized by Leo Burnett, sheds light on how girls go missing from school during periods and nobody notices. The film portrays the daily life of schoolgirls, filled with fun and curiosity until they start disappearing one after another. It jolts the viewer with the reality of the grave situation that even today, many girls miss out on school just because they are unaware about managing their periods driving the importance of period education at the right time. The film leaves the viewers with a sense of responsibility to do their bit to make a difference.