This may seem like a very controversial topic to court but it has been going on for decades. India has always has this very strong penchant for fair skin. No matter how bad a person’s features maybe as long as he or she has a fair complexion, all is forgiven. In sharp contrast, dark skinned people are always shunned or looked down upon especially in the glamour industry. It is only now that the country is finally beginning to realize that dusky can be beautiful too!
Lara, Bipasha, Sushmita – shining examples
Rewind a few years back during the Miss Universe pageant where a fair eyed, light skinned Aishwarya Rai was contesting. Enter Sushmita Sen, a dusky Bengali beauty, who managed to capture the hearts of the judges with her mind-blowing response to the question ‘what is the essence of being a woman’ to which she replied ‘Just being a woman is God’s gift. The origin of a child is a mother, a woman. She shows a man what sharing, caring, and loving is all about. That is the essence of a woman’. Everyone thought Aishwarya was going to win the contest, being as beautiful as she is. She was already an established model at the time and it was taken for granted that she would win the crown. However, Sushmita’s grace, poise and wit helped her win the crown. Lara Dutta too showed the world that she was a woman of substance in the Miss Universe contest and went on to win the crown. Bipasha Basu has come a long way as the seductive actress to an actor of substance. Consider her role in Corporate and Bachna Ae Haseeno and you’ll quickly see her acting prowess.
Bipasha now playing Draupadi
In Rituporno Ghosh’s upcoming movie on Mahabharata, he chose Bipasha Basu. It is also a known fact that Aishwarya Rai had auditioned for the role to prove that she could play the part with élan. However, Bipasha won the part. In Ritupporno’s own words ““Bipasha was chosen primarily because of her skin complexion. Color politics is very important in the Mahabharat. Three of the characters Krishna, Vyas and Draupadi have to be really dark….” Draupadi was supposed to be a very sensuous woman, who had great poise, charisma and personality. She was not beautiful but had the inner beauty and qualities of a woman of substance. Hence, her anger at her vastraharan and her vengeance to keep her hair open till the Pandavas killed the Kauravas for insulting her in court.
More dusky actresses and models
While fair complexion is still considered an asset in India, the glamour industry is beginning to see more dusky actresses and models becoming famous. Take for instance Priyanka Chopra, who is not lucky to be beautiful or fair complexioned but it is her acting, fashion sense, glamour quotient and attitude that make her one of the topmost actresses of today. In the modeling circuit, most models are dusky. Take for instance Lakshmi Menon, Carol Gracias, Sheetal Mallar, Madhu Sapre – the list is endless…
Smita Patil – the forerunner
In Indian cinema, it would not be a grave injustice to say that Smita Patil paved the way for more dusky women to enter the silver screen. Her powerful roles, acting prowess and fantastic screen presence all made her an actor of repute. Today, there is an entire string of actresses such as Sameera Reddy, Nitu Chandra, Riya Sen, Kajol, Sushmita Sen, Mallika Sherawat and many more who have been able to find their calling and foothold in the film fraternity.
When will we move out of the stereotype?
The British may have left India years ago but they seem to have left their indelible mark on India. The favoritism towards gora or white skin has started from those times. Even today, marriage proposals feature standard adverts claiming to want ‘fair complexioned’ brides. Fairness creams continue to sell like never before, skin lightening treatments are all the rage and home remedies to whiten the skin are sought after. All this, while knowing that you will have the skin you were born with – no matter what you do!
Identity crisis of sorts
So where does this leave the dusky Indian woman who is constantly scarred by remarks about her complexion, no matter how successful she maybe be in her profession? As the race between fair and dark skin continues, it seems the dusky skinned women of India will have to always play second fiddle to their fairer counterparts. Why, even the term ‘fairer sex’ referring to women is a bit misleading!
With Obama winning the Presidential elections in the US, there maybe some hope for dusky women in India after all!
Amazing . !
Thanks!
That’s what all fairly tells taught us, free the mind from mental slavery.
Hi, I completely agree. It is time we stopped judging people based on skin color!
I like her anyways, people thinking about colour are just shallow.
Yes I agree, and that is what the article also says – to move beyond skin color and start accepting people for what they are.
Hi, I completely agree. It is time we stopped judging people based on skin color!
Once a person understands why their skin is dry, they can begin learning effective ways of providing the care needed to restore it back to a healthy condition. There are many home remedies for dry skin that you can do yourself, without spending lots of money on commercial skin care products.
Yes, there are many home remedies available. However, the article is about how people with dark skin should not be judged based only on their skin color. Thanks
dis is gr8!
I have a dusky skintone..and I love it no matter what people say..!
and when most of the Indians are “savvla” or dusky…why should we all have a problem????
Me likey Bipasha
As a Newbie, I am always searching online for articles that can help me. Thank you
Why do people seem to think they are in the position to judge the beauty of another human being? Come on India we are well into the tech and information age to place value on people as per their skin colour!!! This is ignorant, foolish and terribly old fashioned! When I traveled to Brazil, Italy and other parts of Europe people adored my dark skin tone and said I was gorgeous…do we have to go far from home to be adored???
Your blog is so informative ? keep up the good work!!!!
Light skinned people are always found more attractive.
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