A prominent name across three movie industries, winner of 14 film awards, and now, an entrepreneur: Taapsee Pannu is ending the year with a new achievement. As the co-founder and chief innovation officer of Laiqa, a menstrual hygiene brand, the actor aims to draw from her own experiences and make periods a healthy and hygienic experience for women. We chatted with the new entrepreneur for insights into her new venture and what inspired her. Excerpts:
ELLE: Tell us about the story behind Laiqa. What pushed you to start this?
Taapsee Pannu (TP): I’ve grown up in households where the majority are women, and yet periods are considered taboo. I have gone through so many issues related to my periods, which in turn affected my body, and yet I thought it was normal because I didn’t know any better. Today I have the power and platform to make a difference, and what better way to use it than associating with a brand that believes in the same. I have just started my journey as an entrepreneur, and I’m hoping it kickstarts well so I can march ahead with my vision.
ELLE: What are your plans for the brand in the coming year?
TP: At Laiqa, we want to provide a period positive experience, for which we have developed a two-pronged strategy. Firstly, we want to provide the best quality products for menstruators. We have started with a wide range of sanitary pads as per flows and also pantyliners which are an essential product for menstrual hygiene. Our sanitary pads have zero chemicals or any harmful toxins. We also deliver on our product philosophy–good for her, good for the earth.
Secondly, on our technology front, our period app, Period Pal, will be continuously upgraded with more functionalities and features that will enhance the period experience for every user. Our website is our biggest touchpoint at this time. We have updated our website with new features and made it extremely easy for our users to create their customised period pack and manage their subscriptions.
ELLE: How is the brand different from a variety of female hygiene products available in the market?
TP: Laiqa is about making a positive change in everyone’s period journey. We aim to create products that make periods more comfortable and tackle issues that need attention—be it rashes, tracking cycles, cramps, etc. Our product offerings will go well beyond just sanitary care; Laiqa is a holistic approach to the menstrual wellbeing of every menstruator.
ELLE: How are you juggling the two career demands at this point? Have you managed to achieve the work-life balance that everyone talks about?
TP: I am still in the process of finding that balance, and I think this will be a continuous process. Not something that can be comfortably achieved. But knowing my priorities helps in keeping some balance. Life is too short and precious, so you can’t dedicate it to only one thing in its entirety.
Lead Image Photographer: Tejinder Singh Khamkha
