Regardless of Bollywood or Kollywood, our Indian movies are all well-loved by most of us here, but aside from the plot itself, have you paid attention to the actors or actresses?
You might have commented on their appearances before, but have you seen how these standards have impacted our society? The majority of starring roles in our cinematic industry, specifically female lead ones, are played by more diverse actresses. I’m not implying that they aren’t capable, but my question is, why isn’t there more diversity? Yes, there are many actors and actresses with a darker complexion; for instance, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra are widely known actresses who have taken on many roles. But on the whole, why is it that 9 out of 10 times, the villain or the sidekick is darker-skinned, and the leading role is played by some actor with lighter skin? The question is, why is fairer skin seen as more beautiful and superior?
This stereotype is so prevalent, especially for women. Many talented actresses with more dusky tones are caked with makeup, surgeries, botox, and lighting to appear fairer, and for roles where darker-skinned actresses are needed, fair-skinned actresses get makeup done and take over their roles despite many talented, darker-skinned actresses being available. Skills take the backseat, and physical appearance takes the front. Skin-whitening products account for 50% of the total skin market in India. Stereotypes persist that the fairer one is, the more attractive one. I wish society would understand that it’s just melanin. I’ve witnessed many events unfold where people comment on the ones with darker skin tones, and they sometimes get insecure about themselves and try to change their complexion. I don’t see how skin tone affects beauty. Beauty shouldn’t be defined by requirements. Whether white, brown, or black, I think all the colours are beautiful. Attractiveness does indeed lie only in the eyes of the beholder. I wouldn’t expect our society to rewire its thoughts in a day, but…it would be nice to see more accepting and open-minded people
