In All “Fairness” Are We Really Racists?

We (Indians) were “ruled” by British for close to 200 years. We (Indians) were subjected to atrocities due to our skin color. We (Indians) were subjected to racism during that period by the English babus. Cut to 2017; We (Indians) are ironically, the biggest consumers of “fairness creams” in the whole of South Asia and its popularity is growing. There’s no two-way about it.

Good news is, there are people who are also talking how ridiculous all this is. Abhay Deol's FB feed was flooded with comments after he took a jab at his industry colleagues for endorsing these small tubes of nonsense.

Fairness, lightening, brightening, whitening and a luminous glow, perfect radiance and what not. Well we try every damn word and twist it to pacify our sly minds.

Come again!

Salon-like fairness at home, anyone?

That’s like my aim in life. To become unbeatably fair, no pun intended here folks.

Is there actually something called pearl-perfect fairness?

Really? How about getting Real Brains!

No comments.

The advertisements have just been getting more absurd with the passing time. What started out as a harmless beauty product has slowly and steadily gained notoriety. Fairness cream ads have been blamed for propagating unfair beauty standards and fanning the colonial mentality; White amounts to beauty.

We are one step short of becoming racist pricks like our predecessors who ruled us for centuries.

• I have seen women blushing (and taking it as a compliment) when called “fair.”

• I have also seen women becoming glum and conscious (getting offended) when called “dusky.”

• I have seen men boasting how beautiful their mothers or old family women were, simply by starting the conversation with, “She was unbelievably fair.”

• I have seen women shelling out money to look fair.

Nandita Das, a champion of color writes  "I am shocked to see the rise in the number of fairness creams, dark actresses looking paler and paler with every film and magazines, hoardings, films and advertisements showing only fair women". She has endorsed a campaign against the obsession for fairness, titled Dark Is Beautiful.

As a film personality you have a certain amount of responsibility and that includes not promoting false beauty standards.

Something which even some of our favouritest actors, end up  endorsing  absurd commercials promoting fairness in the most ridiculous manner.

There’s nothing wrong with being fair but it is not the only tone left in the world. You can be dark and lovely too. Case in point, look at these lovely women:-

Oscar winner, Lupita Nyongo!

Nandita Das, an eminent and talented actress/director

Priyanka Chopra, ladies and gents.

Let’s not get into how many of them had endorsed a fairness brand earlier and how wrong are they. At the end they are making money and that matters more. But, as educated and responsible adults let’s not get swept away by this tomfoolery.

A cream will not make you fair, you thoughts and action will (of course metaphorically speaking). Your skin color, fair, dark or what we Indians love calling “WHEATISH,” is of no consequence. You will still be a ‘brown’ for caucasians. So, what’s the point to hurry! Be fair and lovable!

Check out for yourself, how many of your favourite actors and actresses are here in the list of proud celebs who refused big bucks for endorsing fairness creams.